What to do tomorrow?

I have finished the first draft of Forced today.  Hurrah!  It came in at 20,367 words out of an estimated length of 20,000, which I feel quite smug about.  (Let’s not mention the fact that I already know it will need an entire new opening scene.  Possibly I can reduce Conroy’s interminable dithering to make up for that.)

It wasn’t until today, about four paragraphs from the end, that I realized what the story was about (theme-wise.)  It’s about the damage that the self-righteous can do in the world.  Up to that point I thought it was about giving up everything – including one’s self respect – for love.  Perhaps I thought that theme couldn’t ever yield a happy ending.  At any rate, at least I know now, and that will give me something to aim at once I start the edits.

But speaking of edits, I now have Under the Hill and Forced both waiting for the second draft stage.  I know I should rest Forced for a while before starting edits on that, but I don’t want to start edits on Under the Hill and then have to interrupt them in a week’s time to work on something else.  If I let Forced rest for the rest of this week and over the weekend, I can start editing it on the 17th.  But what to do with Thursday and Friday?  Should I:

a) Work on the plot plan for Whirlwind Boys,

b) Write a short story set in Anglo-Saxon times,

c) Drive to March and check out the tattoo shop there, or

d) Take all my size 18 clothes to the charity shop?

Other exciting news – it is the Straw Bear Festival on Saturday, and this time I really am dancing in it.  Further huzzahs!

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