Writing Progress
Anything that documents my writing process.
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Procrastination
I avoid writing, but decide to keep going. And I do realize that filming, editing and posting this video also counts as procrastination 😛 Don’t worry, I’m writing as soon as I’m done uploading this!
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Editing & Weather
Making up for a lack of one the week before. Sorry it’s a little bit of a hot mess…
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Editing! See? I’m productive!
Hubs and I sitting down to do some intensive editing. Continuity is still a problem 😛
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Writer Dreams Writing Dreams
BOOK Y U NO EDIT URSELF?! I HAS JOBS TO DO!No wait come back I miss you 🙁
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The Book Editing Blues
*bluesy strum* Did my novel wrong before, but now it’s done me wrong too *harmonica* And I’m tryin’ hard to figure out just what I gotta do. I got the book editing blues, oh yeah…
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Infusing my Writing Process with More Technology
I’m super pleased with a new plot/story organizing software I found called SuperNotecard. It’s pretty much amazing and it’s helping me organize Book 2! Also, for some reason WordPress ate my awesome entry on “The Butterfly Circus.” Will remedy when I recover from the shock ;P
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VEDA – Day 11: Inspired
I remind myself that even if people don’t like my book, it’s okay. And okay is wonderful.
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VICTORY!!!!!!!!!! (and Sweet Readin’ Cakes)
Angry zombie mongooses and I FINISH DRAFT 4 OF MY NOVEL!!!! YAAAAAAY!!!!!! Hoooraaaaaaaay!!!!!! Draft 4 is done and sent out to the first batch of reviewers! Once I get it back from them, it’s hopefully just moderate editing, and then off to a publisher! Man, this calls for a celebration! How ’bout some bookish cake, huh? All these (and more) from CakeWrecks.
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VEDA – Day 2: Toys
Authors need toys to mess with to help them write. Here are a few of mine.
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Software of the Trade
Well, Mr. P. Phil, it’s flippin’ cold outside. I hope the weather starts acting its season, or no amount of April Showers will bring May Flowers. Cold weather just makes me want to go out LESS than I do anyway, but at least it’s sunny right now. Makes staying inside and writing more enticing, and since I finally had a breakthrough with my editor’s block, I no longer feel like my head will explode if I try to roll the plot around. This is a good thing ^_^ Well, I’ve been getting the emails again! It must be almost Screnzy season! Also, who is their designer? They rock! I won’t…
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CONTAINS ACTUAL WRITING!!!!
I disclose 4 things I like to have about my person while writing and then you get to see me in action. Lucky you
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New Years Resolutions for a Write-Tastic 2011
My writing resolutions for the new year. I also discuss the joys of Evernote and a video idea that is happily unfinished.
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Oh Joy! Rapture!
MY EDITOR GOT BACK TO ME! OMG SO EXCITED! I read through her critiques and over all it’s very positive! She even said my next draft should be given to an agent!!! EEEE! All you pray-ers out there, pray that I will find my soul mate agent somewhere! Now that I have a few month’s distance from the manuscript, I can finally get back to editing with a clear head! Here is her cherry on top culminating comment: You continue to be a strong writer with an absolutely vibrant and powerful imagination. I am in awe of the world that you have created, down to the language and the details,…
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Dawn Treader Party (and Editor Update)
I went to an amazing party in honor of The Dawn Treader coming out in theatres! I geek out, and give a quick update on how my editor is coming with my manuscript. Check out other amazing stuff my mom-in-law has done: http://eventsbyemily.tumblr.com/ { Previously geeking about this house’s epic nerdiness on Facebook }
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At the End of Draft 3. And Also Pumpkins
Draft 3. It was probably the shortest editing time window I’ve ever had, from Sept. 23 to Oct. 25, 2010. As I wait for my editor friend to give me some feedback, instead of the usual celebratory graphic (like fireworks or sparkly text announcing that it’s done), behold my simple commentary about the last bit of the editing process. Towards the end of editing Draft 3, I started going a little nuts….I wanted to be done with it so bad! Thankfully, things have improved since I recorded this. And also pumpkins.
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Halloween Approacheth! And HIATUS!
“And a ship, a black freighter with the skull on its masthead…” Hallo, all! It’s already the second week of October, and already the air is filled with ghost stories and candy bowls are filled with candy! And my life is full of events and busy things which are really dragging on my ability to write good posts, so I’m definitely thinking a hiatus is in order. I’m planning at least one vlog, so I won’t be totally silent, but no blog entries until closer to Halloween. Thanks for understanding, guys. I love autumn, and I’ve been collecting–at my own mental peril–crazy murder & mayhem stories and ghost stories about…
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A Good Nightmare Always Begins in a Dark Cellar with a Coffin
Zzzzzzzz…. The pirate video ate up so much time that I’m finally getting back to editing Draft 3! I just felt like writing a real entry, since all I’ve done the last two weeks was tweet, make promises, break them, and eventually upload a pirate movie 😉 I have plans for other entries, but this one is getting back to the basics, where I actually write about writing. It’s been hard the last few weeks to get writing in, between visiting friends and work, so tonight I’ve started to be a bit smarter with my time. In addition to editing, I’m taking notes. Why? I live in mortal dread of…
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Writing Dialogue Tips
Had this convo with a writer friend Ben, who I’ve collaborated with on blogs before, and figured I’d post up what I told him, for anyone else who’s curious about dialogue. PS: I’m planning a new vlog for posting on the 19th! Ben: How do you handle dialogue? Me: I write it as it comes out of my head, depending on what I believe a character would say, and then read it aloud later. Often I don’t read it aloud til [someone] reminds me, but it REALLY helps you figure out how it flows [to read it aloud]. Ben: I bet. That’s a good idea. I cringe at all my…
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The Dead Time, Part 2
I has better lighting! And I am in a bit of a writing lull. And apparently I touch my hair a lot. Music from incompetech.com >> Read Part One here.
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The Dead Time
And my brain hath shut down 😀 I don’t want to touch the darn second draft until I get it back and can start on the next (and hopefully final) round of editing. I’ve even tried writing a bit of Book 2, but what I have just doesn’t feel right. I have ideas for other stories, so I jot down my thoughts, but my brain can’t hold more than one comprehensive world at a time! So I know I should finish the world of Thoglan stories before I move on to exploring other places. But the website thing is still a little maddening (in all senses of the word and…
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DONE! AGAIN!
DRAFT 2 of { Book One } IS FINISHED! Although, that’s what I felt like last time at the end of Draft 1. This time, with Draft 2, I’m a bit more like this: Maybe not that serene but…at least able to skim through it and check for misspellings. Last time, I was lucky to get it emailed to friends, I was so worn OUT. And I was worn out for DAYS. I’m curious to see how my body reacts to this one being done. But it’s been sent out to my editor friend already, and I’m looking forward to her critique! Aaaaaaaaannndddd this is my second late-night entry in…
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Getting Stuck and Unsticking Tactics
That’s probably my biggest writing hurdle right now, so close to the end of editing and modifying Draft 2 (squee!). I always get stuck somewhere in the plot, big or small hurdles. Either the character or the story or something isn’t going the way I want it to go to get x result, and for whatever reason my exhausted little bean of a noggin can’t process it correctly. It’s not exactly writer’s block, since I know what I’m trying to accomplish in the big picture, but the little picture details are getting too precise and I need to put them into some kind of logical order for the big things…
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Dagblangit
So I was gonna write an entry, but it’s too late to finish off any of the ones I’ve started when my brain is this far gone to the night 😛 But I’m posting this cuz I’m compelled to put something up. Tonight I’ve been tweaking this site mostly, but as a friend of mine says, “it all goes into the pot,” since it all has to do with the writing! Tomorrow I’m planning on really getting somewhere with the editing, as I finally have a free weekend again! I’ve been so busy lately I’ve had to snatch time for writing/editing when I can. Sleepiness and taking care of new…
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The Far Side of the World
I knew I would collect some exciting writing fodder on my far-off trip to South Africa (yes! That’s where I went!), and I did! Not only did I get a taste of a different country and different culture, but I had a surfing lesson, did other daring things like jump 14 feet into a pool below, ride in the open back of a pickup truck, and went on a safari drive where I saw many animals I had only seen in zoos, like giraffes and tigers, as well as a gentle, kingly white lion (we dubbed “Aslan”) and four 22-day-old lion cubs! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it…
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Goings and Goals
In a few days I’m going off on a trip to attend a family vacation/wedding, so I shall be taking a three-week hiatus from blogging. I will likely give a bit of perspective on my trip upon my return, as I foresee reaping some wonderful writing ideas. While I’m gone for my extended time, I plan to do as much editing and writing as I can. As I won’t be attached at the hip to my laptop, I plan to print the offending pages out, so when I am away from the computer I can have something to work on. I’m about halfway+ through the manuscript now as it stands, until…
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What I Look Like Doing Research XD
Wow, I actually have something to post on my YouTube account: The medieval studies topics are actual search tags I have used extensively to do research before. ^_^ I’ve been trying to think of trailers for my book to create, but for now I think I will put that on the back burner til it’s being edited seriously by people other than me. But I still want to post things up on there! I’ve been rooting around for ideas. Any suggestions?
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April LOLs Day (& some writer link spam)
Usually I avoid April Fool’s Day as much as possible, but for whatever reason, feeling cheeky today, I posted an April Fool’s joke telling all my personal Facebook friends that I was getting published by Random House. When I clarified that it was a joke, there was talk of medieval torture and witch burnings XD Had a fun instant message conversation with a friend about it that I wanted to share: Friend (F): Shouldn’t you be on a hawaiian yacht or something, celebrating your contract? 😛 I mean, you couldn’t have possibly been kidding, right? Me (C): ^_~ No! of course I couldn’t have possibly…trust me, I would have broadcast…
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A is for Axhsausted!
An appalling anguish afflicted the already aggrieved author. Graaahhh! My novel isn’t cooperating, talked my webcomic over with a friend who is giving me suggestions on what to do, and though it’s all such good advice I feel like my brain has hit a wall. While I wearily feel like I have so much more to learn about this medium’s brand of storytelling, my sci-fi main character is poking her head out and asking, “Since they’re being annoying, can I come out now?” It’s probably cuz I am exhausted. I need to finish reading some library books that indirectly have to do with my writing (reading them for fun AND…
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Script Frenzy!!!
Today I got an email from the people who brought you such writing joys as NaNoWriMo, announcing their newest writing project! { SCRIPT FRENZY } Similar idea to the wildly successful National Novel Writing Month, but with script writing! You have 30 days to write a 100-page script about anything of your choice! As I am also writing a script for an upcoming webcomic, I jumped right in! I have a head start, but I figured writing 100 MORE pages would encourage me to get it all done faster! I’m picking up a few pointers in the way of a writing a comic strip script here. If you go…
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A Little Bit of Everything
Oh man, I’ve been meaning to post this entry last month! I’ve been thinking about/doing a lot of things lately, so I hope you’ll forgive the discombobulatedness of this entry! Blogging really is my favorite way to keep the writing alive when I’m not actually “writing,” but doing more “editing.” It makes me feel more productive when I have something published on my blog, or when I’m making plans for it ^_^ My story has been keeping me busy, but lately I’ve been doing much more job hunting, so I’ve made less time for it than I’d like. Speaking of blogging, one of my writer friends, Morgan Riley, mentioned to…
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The Writing on the Wall
It’s the third week of the New Year, and I’ve already got a new plotting strategy. My brain felt fried after spending so long writing the first draft, and I was worried that I’d have to really push myself to write and edit. But after a chat with a fellow writer friend, I had a huge a-ha moment when she suggested a method that would really help me visualize the rapidly expanding plot of my novel. Sticky notes. Okay, I know I’ve been tracking this all over my Facebook page, but this is the first time I’ve tried this approach and, frankly, it’s very empowering! Plus, I really get to…
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2009 Year in Review
A new decade. Funny how those things creep up on you. This time last decade I was barely out of middle school. The dream of becoming an author was a warm flicker in my heart, and I’m not sure if I’d thought up my novel at that point yet. But in the subsequent ten years, I have carried that novel series with me, through the highs and lows of school life, and after college graduation I set out for the trip of a lifetime: the journey to authorhood. I’ve grown. So has my novel and its series, and we’ll continue to. So many wonderful things have happened in 2009, including…
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Who doesn’t love a good Renaissance fair?*
*quote from one of my dear editor friends! Happy Belated Thanksgiving, all! I’m not exactly back, but there have been a few new developments on the writing front. First off, I’ve halted work for National Novel Writing Month and started a very basic outline of a web comic project, which sadly was going at a snail’s pace mostly because of my lack of fresh inspiration. I hope to finish sometime in the future, except I just got all the edits back I had handed out for Book 1. Which is the second thing. I’ve started to do a number of story-enriching edits, and oh, my word! It felt like I…
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Fun Things to Do On the NaNo Site
In addition to writing and updating my word count every day, there are a few little things that have been distracting me on the NaNoWriMo site: The Word Count Scoreboard A lot cooler than it sounds, you can see which world region is writing the most words per day. For example, today I am quite amused that #1 Germany; #2 Maryland, US; #3 Seattle, Washington, US is the lineup. Forums Not as recently, but it’s the best way to keep in touch with all the other NaNo-ers (I keep thinking “Nanoo-nanoo” from Mork & Mindy whenever I type “NaNo”). They have places where you can work out your ideas with…
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In the Absence of Twitter
I realize how supplementing with Twitter hasn’t helped my blogging *covers face* I have serious gaps. But I’ve decided to keep most of the tweet streams with a lot of the writing process sentiments in them. After all, I use twitter as an extension of my blog. So if you feel like you’re missing something in between my entries, trot on over to my new Tweet Archive Tweet Archive! But officially, to catch up the proper blog, National Novel Writing Month hath begun, and I am already over my quota for the next two days, so things are really good! I think I am going to start the agent/publisher search this…
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*Paces*
I have all the strict ideas down on paper: the ones that have refused to leave my head while I wrote the other one. The rest won’t come, I don’t think, until I start writing in November. How terribly frustrating. Sometimes you need to just write, the act of writing will somehow work everything out in the end. That alone can often do me more good than a planning session: things will fall out of the sky that I never suspected just because I am writing. Alas, I must bide my time til Nov. 1. Well, at least I won’t have time to mope about Halloween ending! {Edited 10/23/09} I…
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Rapture!
I must have turned on the light three times and jotted down notes as I lay in bed trying to fall asleep last night. All those ideas I held back are flowing out now for Book 2, and I’m so excited! I can hardly wait til November. I am writing out layout ideas like mad. ~added at 7pm~ Also, I realize I have more and more friends joining me for NaNoWriMo! I’m so excited! ~added at 8pm~ Just finished writing up my main character’s school schedule, complete with professors, and I feel like I’m back in college!
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Friends in the Write Places *corny horn*
I’m preparing my beloved first draft to send to a few editor friends to read over. I just need it out of my lap for right now so my brain can recover from all that intensive writing and thinking and stewing that was going on for months and months on end. YEARS, even! (Oy!) I’ve been preparing the story’s world for most of my young life, and it took me just over a year to finish this draft. The fact that it’s finally written down a way I really, truly like, that is half the battle, and my brain is crying “uncle.” But I’m definitely at peace with the fact…
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National Novel Writing Month
I’ve been so excited to post this entry, and now that it’s October the time has come! Behold, the amazing wonder that is National Novel Writing Month (better known as NaNoWriMo!) The premise: come up with an idea for a novel, and write all of it in the span of one month, specifically November! I won’t be participating this year, but I’ve thrown my hat in the ring in years past! I used it mostly to write back-story, though. My main problem was that I always had a novel I was working on (the one I just finished), and according to their rules you need to start a brand new…
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IT IS FINISHED!
FINAL DRAFT OF MY NOVEL IS DONE!!! As of 11:45 AM this morning. Oh my gosh, I’m done! Next comes the intensive editing, but first, big-time celebrating!!!!
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Still Here, I Promise!
Twitter has eaten my proper blogging again! Writing Process Update: I’m onto Chapter 24!!!! The best part is, I forsee Ch. 25 being the last one in the book, so I am VERY close to being done! Things of Note: I’ve been doing a lot of web-wandering for writerly resources, and I found an awesome listing of 101 Best Websites for Writers from Writer’s Digest Magazine. This list is amazing, and it covers everything from databases of publishers, to sites that tell you about publishing scams, to little ways to spark your muse! Definitely worth checking out! And for all of you who have been wanting to start a blog,…
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*emerging from my locked writing office*
This quote epitomizes my life right now, as I endeavor to tie up loose ends and just get this story out of me. You have to allow yourself the liberty of writing poorly. You have to get the bulk of it done, and then you start to refine it. You have to put down less than marvelous material just to keep going to whatever you think the end is going to be — which may be something else altogether by the time you get there. ~LARRY GELBART There will be many edits to come, but right now I just have to whip this beast into submission!
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Writing My Heart Out (with the cunning use of smoke screens!)
The one thing I love about writing fantasy is this: I can write about whatever I want. Literally. I create my own world, my own rules, and populate it with creatures and peoples, and it’s all done to my taste. Sometimes it’s just a creative idea that comes out of nowhere, nagging at me, demanding to be put onto paper. Sometimes it’s wish fulfillment, sometimes it’s getting out emotions. But to me, it’s the greatest gift I could possess. It fulfills me like little else can. Writing is my life experience put on the page, and I pour out my heart through my characters. Still, whatever I put in, I…
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Flying (DON’T write what you know)
Darn Tweets have been monopolizing my blog space. Sorry I haven’t been making any actual posts in a while. Editing is going well. I’m up to Ch. 10 right now. Man, it feels weird going over stuff that I’ve gone over so many times, except that I am finally connecting everything coherently, so that is huge. I have also been gathering more writing ideas for future books in this series. I love life: it provides such rich opportunities for self expression and research. I wrote a blog last month entitled Life Experience, which talks more in depth about my love for research and experiences. Someone posed a point to me…
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The Great Struggle
“It is of the utmost that I speak to you about a great struggle, which is taking place [at] this mortal temple we call the [writer’s desk]. The contestants are those aged combatants…art…and commerce. And art, it would appear from the [lack of income]…is in its usual position of jeopardy.” – edited quote from Nicholas Nickleby movie. Since I am, sadly, not a full-time writer, the great quest (as Mel Brooks put it), The Search for More Money, takes precedence over any deadline I might have set for myself. I am so close to the end that I can see the finish line, but I have realized that setting a…
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All within me cries out
I officially have the crucial details for the rest of the book, aka the last 3-5 chapters. So let it be written, so let it be done! *clap clap*
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Just a few more miles to go
I had a chance to talk with one of my local writing friends today, and she read Ch. 19 to give me feedback. Oh my gosh, she said she loved it! She said it was so intense and gripping and she couldn’t wait to see what would happen next! *squee!* I’ve realized that this is the closest I’ve ever come to finishing a book that I haven’t really rushed. I’ve consistently written from the deepest part of my gut, and I’m actually really proud of all of it so far. Sure, there will still be editing and critiques to figure in, but I am absolutely elated. I am already three…
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So this is what the end feels like…
Juggling writing with freelance work now, so I have more time. I’m getting to a very exciting part of the story, where things get worse before they get better. Believe it or not, I am making a valiant DO (there is no try) to finish the entire thing before Aug. 14th. So I will definitely be hauling tail the next week or so. I’m really excited!
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Life Experience (Write what you know)
The old adage goes; “write what you know.” As an author, I’m what I like to call a “method writer.” Like a method actor, I want to have some experience in areas I’ll be writing about so I can portray them with realism. I’m a rather curious, adventurous person, so I’ve racked up a number of experiences. I’ve been horseback riding, gone to a firing range, been spelunking, rock climbed on a bare rock face, traveled, and a host of incidental things that I can draw reference from; anything from standing at the edge of the Grand Canyon to driving a car. Not to mention going through college and moving…
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My real garden with imaginary toads
*waves* Hey, guys. Don’t worry about the Twitter thing, it will all get worked out, and if not, I’ll figure something out. But I’m not stressed about it. In fact, right now I am just so happy that I’ve had enough energy to write a little bit of my book every single day! And now that it’s the weekend I can really gain some ground! I am on Chapter 15 now, which I’m quite excited about. I know I say this, but I really feel like the end is in sight. I am writing through everything, not pruning as much as I am trimming here and there so it is…