Scared of finishing a novel?

There are many reasons one might be afraid of finishing their novel. Revision (which definitely isn't for everyone), not wanting to say good bye to characters, feeling that there are huge changes that need to happen for the book on the page to be the book you envisioned and having this overwhelm you...

But first thing is first: finish the darn book. There are many people who say "I'm going to write a book" who never put pen to paper or fingers to keyboard. There are many people who say it, start and give up after 5000, 10000, 25000 words. Even if you feel your book needs work when you go back and read it -- or heck, even if you think it's a huge pile of crap (which is probably not true) you will still have accomplished something that most people never even *try*, let alone *complete*.

As for revision, I am really nervous about it and I am revising my first novel right now. I'm not sure if this will help you, since everyone's writing process is different, but for me it's helping to pretend that I'm making a movie. What the heck am I talking about? Well, right now I am redoing major plot and character changes that happened and making sure the book isn't disjointed. If you think of the scenes in your book as if they are pieces of a movie, and the words we use as film, writers are the luckiest film makers in the world -- because our takes (scene edits) cost absolutely nothing but time and creativity. As long as you keep track of all the versions of your work there is no risk -- if you don't like a change, you can go back to the original, or try it again, or try it a thousand ways.

Anyway, I hope something here helps you. And if not, perhaps someone else will come along and have something to say that will click instead. I wish you the best of luck. I'll leave you with one last piece of advise: Don't. Give. Up. You'll never know how something is if you don't try.

I think I've felt that way before. You're afraid of having done all that work and ruining it at the end. I'd suggest writing out your fears about the ending. Sort through it. Then, set a personal deadline and get it done.

Part of that might be parting company with the characters. They've been like friends, I guess, as you've been writing & once it's finished you'll have just a readers relation to them. Just a guess.

LStein said:

Has anyone else gotten this feeling?

I'm about 7,000 - 10,000 words away from finishing my first draft and I actually feel fear. I feel excitement, too, when I'm writing. But the rest of the time I walk around with a vague sense of dread.

I've been trying to figure out why; it might have something to do with being scared of reading the draft and realizing it's crap. Then, I won't want to revise it (as revision isn't my favorite thing) and I'll have wasted a year.

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Books aren't written they are rewritten.
And if you do decide it's that terrible that it cannot be salvaged, it does not mean that it is wasted time. You learn from it.

I wonder, though, if you are scared of letting your characters and there world go? Because finishing one book means moving onto the next.

LStein said:

I'm about 7,000 - 10,000 words away from finishing my first draft and I actually feel fear. I feel excitement, too, when I'm writing. But the rest of the time I walk around with a vague sense of dread.

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I've felt this a couple of times, but it was because I didn't want to let the characters go. I liked them too much.

I do get scared when I near the end of a first draft.

I get scared because it was a lot of work and I know I still have a ton of work ahead. It's like climbing a mountain and finding a huge canyon on the other side separating you from...I dunno, treasure, artifacts?

I also get the willies when I'm wrapping up edits and preparing to sub. I know the pain of rejection lies ahead.

But there's also acceptance

I know the feeling you are describing, being nearly finished writing my first novel. For me, the fear is based on editing, and feeling like editing the first draft will be overwhelming.

You're not alone in this.

I'm sad when I close in on the end of a draft. I don't want to leave these characters or this book. It's consumed me for so long that I'm afraid of the void that will open up in my life when it's gone.

Of course, there's revision. And then there are always new stories. But I think it's natural to regret parting with what you've been working on for so long.

Separation anxiety for me. I have 9k to go and it is already kicking in.

I'm sad because I've become so invested in the world and characters I've created (as we have spent countless hours together) that it feels like I'm leaving my home and all of my friends behind.

I know I should look to the future and the "new home" and "new friends" I'll make, but I'm still sad about this book ending.

Tis better to travel hopefully than to arrive. I forced my most recent novel to its ending over the protagonist's objections.

I've just finished the third draft of my WIP tonight [], all that is left now is one further line edit. Then it's time to start subbing to agents for the first time since 2004.

It's a strange feeling. A mix of elation, and knowing by the summer I'll be sending my 'baby' into the big, dangerous world of agents and editors.

Yeeeah... I'm at the final 80% of my current WIP. Each word feels twice as hard to write as the last. I'm also afraid of flubbing the ending - it's also the part of the novel where you don't get to add new toys to the play pen... you can only take toys out.

I don't like taking toys out of my playpen. Someone hold me.

I've never dreaded finishing my novels, but I do feel sad that I have to leave my characters. I've grown close to them--I created them!--and I hate saying goodbye. But as far as realizing that I'm almost done with a novel, that's a time for rejoicing!

You've come a long way and you have something to show for your journey. Sure, the revision stage can be hard. But it's worth it. Imagine you're a diamond cutter. You begin with what looks like a worthless hunk of stone. You carefully cut away the bits of rock, revealing the precious diamond inside. But that's not the end of your journey. Now you have to carve the diamond into its rightful shape--the shape that's going to reveal its beauty. Once that's done, you have to polish the diamond. That's what revision is like. What started out as a dirty piece of stone (or a very rough draft) turns into something beautiful. You polish it and make it shine--and suddenly that ugly rock is precious and beautiful and you'll have people fighting over it!

For me, revision takes longer than writing the novel. Others revise as they write, and so their novel needs very little work when they're finished. But I enjoy the process of revision because I like seeing my story take shape. I like it when plot threads weave together seamlessly, when characters become real, and everything suddenly works. My rough draft starts looking like a real novel and it thrills me. I hate to say goodbye to my beloved characters when it's all done, but hey! There's always the possibility of a sequel, right?

Terrified. Because the moment I finish, I have to work on 2nd draft stuff. Then I'll have to work on 3rd draft. Then, dear lord help me baby Jesus, I'll have to do something with it.

That's really the part that terrifies me. The fear of not being good enough. Reading all those great and wondrous writers out there, many here on AW, that I just won't stack up against. I try not to think too much about it.

A year spent writing something that matters to you is never a year wasted. All I have to say about that.

I am reminded of Luke Skywalker and Yoda. Luke told Yoda, "I'm not afraid."

"You will be," replied Yoda. "You will be."

Finish the first draft. Enjoy it. It was a lot hard work. Go somewhere outside and drink in life for a while. Read.

Then come back to your book. It's good. When you finish the second draft, you'll see how crappy it was, how much better it's getting. Only a few drafts more and it'll be good again.

But it's worth it.

gothicangel said:

I've just finished the third draft of my WIP tonight [], all that is left now is one further line edit. Then it's time to start subbing to agents for the first time since 2004.

It's a strange feeling. A mix of elation, and knowing by the summer I'll be sending my 'baby' into the big, dangerous world of agents and editors.

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CONGRATULATIONS ON THE 3rd draft!!!

I'm on the final round of edits too, and it's bitter sweet. Part of me really wants to finish this so I can move on to queries. But another part will be sad when I get finished-- but only because I really love my characters.

I always get what I call "finishing anxiety". I fear messing up the ending. I fear that the whole thing will be rubbish when I come back to it. I worry about what I do next. I'm sad that I'm almost done with what for me is the most exciting stage of the work with this story and characters.

It's probably all down to the natural fear of change. Writing a draft takes some time and is a large part of your life for that time. Now that part of your routine is going away and you've got to do something else instead.

I'm not so much afraid of finishing. That comes with a mix of relief, accomplishment, happiness, exhaustion. The tougher part for me is when I pull the finished draft out after a couple of weeks and sit down to read it. Or when I've revised til I'm blue in the face and my fingers are bleeding and I have to send it out to someone else to read. That's the scary part.

... having another project that you can start when you're done with the one you're working on helps in a lot of ways. You don't necessarily need to jump right into the revision. You can put the draft aside and work on something else for a time. If you suspect that your revision is going to be involved and take a long time, I'd almost recommend that you turn to something else for a bit to give yourself a pause and come to the work afresh. Or you could just take off from writing for a week or two. If you have that ahead of you that may make you more inclined to finish up with what you're doing. G'luck.

Yes but my fear doesn't come until I'm nearly at the end of editing it. If I could just sit and be paid to write first drafts forever then I'd be happy.

I find myself slowing down because I know that once I finish it I will have to send it out into the world where people will kill it and send it back to me ripped into little pieces. Or that's what I imagine will happen anyway. Or laughter.

I don't touch it for a couple of days until that feeling of I can't do it is replaced by for god's sake just get on with it. And then I'm fine again. I use this method for most things, housework, gardening, sorting out my finances. And I always feel better once I've done it.