Finishing It Out

Recently, I have come across a few writers of various genres who are finishing their first books, plays or manuscripts. What a special and exciting time. Finishing your first book, and subsequently publishing it, can mark one's psychological and real entry into a new space, a new "club" and trigger a deep feeling of accomplishment and belonging. The finishing stages of a book are also wrought with challenges, depending upon the nature of the book, whether or not there is an existing contract for it, and many other factors. Many people find that as they get toward the end of their book, they start to slow down, and find their internal chatter that they thought they had conquered begin to increase in volume.

Here are but a few of the issues you need to attend to as you close out the first draft of your manuscript: perfectionism, fear of failure, the impulse to rush and be done with it, fear of being judged, severe self downing, and anxiety.

I have addressed many of these this "psychosocial summer"- check out posts from June through now for guidance on how to contend with these various issues.  The most important first step is to begin to recognize your internal, self downing dialogues and begin to challenge them. If you struggle to do so on your own, get some support; now is the time to get what you need- your almost done!