The Drag. (Patreon)

Since I am currently home sick and procrastinating, let’s talk about one of the hardest things in writing any lengthy project, and one which tends to take people by surprise. 

Actually finishing it.

You see, it’s not like a book or a game is done once you write that last chapter, and tack on the final epilogue. Oh no, now you have to edit and polish the beast. All those times you sat around thinking ‘Oh I’ll fix this later’, or 'this needs a rewrite eventually’ now has to be dealt with. Past you is always an asshole.

Don’t get me wrong, those decisions are still vitally important to get the project done at all. You cannot edit as you go, because you don’t know exactly where you are going. You might have a plan, even a detailed one, but until the ending is written you can’t be sure what’s needed to get there.

That is when the drag begins.

At first, it is easy, even fun. You get to switch sections around, maybe cut some, rewrite the start, add some subplots you didn’t see coming until the second half of the book. It’s cool, creative, and new, but then it starts to slow down. Every change needed cascades through the story and needs to be hunted down and changed. Some sections you added that really do make the story better, need more changes and additions later. It grows and grows and grows…

And then it hits you. That quick editing job won’t be quick after all. Just because your book/game is finished doesn’t mean it’s done. it will still take time to fix and polish, and it will be harder. Need more thought. And, at the back of your head, there’s a voice that screams “to hell with this, I was done!” and just wants to get it over with fast…

I think we have all read those stories. Played those games. Where the first 80% was cool, and then everything just finishes too fast and the ending feels rushed. I talked about it before, and indeed, I was guilty of it as well. In Fallen Hero: Rebirth there were more things I should have done in retrospect, but at the time I just wanted to be done, I didn’t even know if people would like it, it wouldn’t matter and all those other things I kept telling myself.

Maybe that’s why I am writing this. Because I am sitting in that spot with Fallen Hero: Retribution, where things start to drag and I just want to be finished, but more tangents and issues pop up. And every time I go… “maybe I should just ignore this, and…” but I try not to. Because this game is already a bloated beast made for my own pride’s sake, and to ruin all that extra effort just to get it done a month or two sooner would be like shooting myself in the foot near the finishing line.

2020 already messed up my personal deadlines. No, let’s be fair here. My own ambitions messed them up long before that.

I am so bloody grateful that I have editors that won’t let me get away with skimping on the quality.

I guess what I am trying to say here, is that finishing a book is only the first step to make it good. Don’t make the mistake of thinking it is as good as it can get. Be prepared to be brutal. Be prepared for it to take time.

It will be worth it in the end.