Writing is a marathon.

Volunteer Park during my run on Wednesday.

I always wonder when it'll be done. I can make timelines and set deadlines as long as I want, but it's the matter of getting it done. How many drafts will it take until I know it's complete?

I'm about a fourth done with the second draft of Manuscript #2, but even now I can already tell that there will be a need for a third draft. So I wonder, how many drafts will it take? From the several books and writing blogs I've read, it averages around four to nine drafts, but really, it's difffernet for everyone. I can only hope I'm in the lower spectrum of the range. But boy am I getting worn out and completely fatigued. I feel like although I keep going, the end is never in sight...

So I'm writing this post to lift my spirits. Writing is a marathon, Michelle. And from the experiences of running half-marathons, I should know that the middle of the run is the worst part. So, think of this writing part of the journey as the middle of a run. It sucks like hell, but the only option is to keep going. Not only that, the beauty of writing is in the attempt, for one cannot succeed without trying. I just need to remind myself that. I truly enjoy the story I'm writing. I love the characters I have created. I gotta keep going.

Sometimes I wonder if I will ever be a published author. But then I remind myself that it doesn't matter if I'm published. And it doesn't matter if my novel isn't finished this year. What matters is that I keep working at it because I can't imagine my life without writing. Yesterday I finished yet another journal. I'm definitely over 20 completed journals, that's for sure. So doesn't that tell me something?

I just can't seem to stop writing.