A Milestone

Today I reached the fifty thousand word mark on my novel. 50,000! And it feels amazing.

I've said for years that I would write a book. I have no ambitions to set the world on fire. I was always the girl to invent conversations in my head where I came off sparkling and witty. In my imagination I said just the right thing to the guy I liked and even better, he said exactly the right thing to me. I always had the perfect comeback for the mean girl in math class or the neighborhood bully. I was lucky: maybe 30% of the time I came up with the right comment in real life, and 50% of the time I was smart enough to keep my mouth shut. But the remaining 20%....

That forms the crux of comedy and tragedy in my life. Sigh.

When I decided to write a book, I picked a genre I like to read, which is light-hearted romance. I read plenty of heavy stuff and thought-provoking literature (I have proof!). But what really tickles me is when I pick up a book where the characters make me laugh out loud and the girl gets her guy in the end. Or vice versa.

And then the idea of a red-headed girl named Sandy came to mind when I was trying to doze a few months ago. She wouldn't go away so I started writing that novel I always meant to get to and it turns out she's the sassy roommate to my stubborn and funny protagonist, Jessie. And Jessie's story has me hooked, too. So I write.

It hasn't always been easy but since I set my daily goal, it's finally become consistent. I'm becoming more self-aware as a writer, too, and each chapter improves a little on the one before. I don't know if when I'm done what I have will be good enough to be published. If it gets picked up, I'll throw a party to celebrate that will have the neighbors complaining for months.

But 5o,ooo words deserves a celebration, too. So I walked over to Steve's Market on the corner and picked up a little bag of Doritos and some chocolate donuts and now I'm going to settle in to finish out season 3 of Battlestar Galactica with my husband.

You know what? It's going to be a very good Friday night.