Wednesday, October 19, 2011

I Want to Be a Finisher!

Are you a finisher?  I didn't ask if you were a starter; I guess that is a topic for another day.  Right now, I am fascinated with the idea of being a finisher.  I have never lacked for ideas of things to begin.  I love imagining all the projects that I might do, yet I am also the first to admit that sometimes I struggle with finishing all the things I set out for with great intentions.

I am presently faced with a monumental task that might give way to my losing interest, but I am determined to not let my deficient attention win this time.  Just because the fun part is over, I MUST keep wading through the less-than-interesting details.

I am fine-tuning the manuscript of my book preparing it for publication.  I am aligning the formatting with the publisher's requirements.  I am editing footnotes.  I am preparing the reference list to submit for a copyright permissions request.  So. Much. To. Do.  Literally.

I don't know why I thought all these things would be magically done by someone else.  Naivete', I'm sure.  It all falls upon me.  It isn't very glamorous, or very fun, or very exciting.  But it is advancing the progress of my book.  That is exciting.  That is what I need to focus on.  Each step of the journey is important.  Every detail counts. 

I'm getting a glimpse at what real editorial work is like.  I'm certain I prefer the creative side more, but they go hand-in-hand.  One can't exist without the other.  This is what separates the men from the boys.  This is what separates the authors from the wannabes.

I want to see this through to the end.  I want to endure the process.  I want to dot all the i's and cross all the t's.  I want to be a finisher.

I am a great starter.

Now is the time to be a finisher.

3 comments:

Laura said...

I can't wait to read your book! :-)

LeAnn said...

I will look forward to your book. I enjoyed your thoughts on being a finisher. I think it is sometimes harder to complete a task due to so many interruptions in life.
Blessings to you and keep on writing.

neffie said...

I completely understand! I'm not a finisher. I start on a project and go full force, then I get bored and another wonderful project pops into my head. So I start that one and never finish the one I left. *bangs head* I have so many unfinished projects. I have gone back and finished and a few of them and it feels great to do it.

Hang in there, once you have that book in your hands you'll feel a great sense of accomplishment and I'll have something to read.