Goodbye to the Book and its Characters

Some of you know the lyrics:

“Now’s the time to say goodbye to all our company . . . “

That point is nearly here for the novel I’ve spent the last twenty months writing, and I’m having a hard time. I have to say goodbye very soon.

There’s a grief that comes from saying goodbye to people you’ve spent a lot of time with–whether your family or old friends.

For characters you’ve created and lived with, cried with, fought with and stood in awe over, finishing the writing of a book means saying goodbye. Click to Tweet

They’re alive and changeable when you’re in charge and writing their story.

Once they’re printed, they belong to the world and you can’t correct the mistakes anymore.

You can’t console, laugh with and help them out.

It’s like when you’re a parent and your child grows up. Your job is done. They’re adults and on their own.

(Hey! Aren’t they? Isn’t the job of a parent to raise an adult?)

The same with the characters you’ve created in your book.

Oh, they’ll always be there, just a cover and a few pages away, but your task as the writer is done. Click to Tweet

Like children who’ve flown the coop, the characters remain in your heart and mind long after you’ve sent them off to the publisher.

They can become real to others. My husband said just the other day, “I was thinking about Claire and how she needs to know this truth.”

Too late.

Trying to delay the inevitable, I play with a word census and strengthen the verbs. I examine sections I’m not sure about and tinker.

I reread the death of a primary character and I remember how after I wrote that scene, I was so sad I wore black the entire next day in mourning.

How do I know when I’m done?

I’m getting there.

I know goodbye is coming.

Honestly, it’s got some connections to the infamous five stages of grief. Here’s how:

1. Denial and Isolation

I can’t be done yet. I need to spend more time changing tiny things.

2. Anger

Why didn’t I find this fact earlier in the research?

3. Bargaining

I know if I just tweak this little part again, it will be perfect. I’m not done. Give me another week and it will be perfect.

4. Depression

What do people do in the evenings when they’re not writing books? Click to Tweet

5. Acceptance

It is what it is. I’m going to let it go and see what happens.

That’s when the adrenaline high of finishing comes in!

 It’s time to say goodbye. I just have to read the book one more time!  :-) Click to Tweet

 

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How to Say Goodbye to those Beloved Characters (kaseymoone.wordpress.com)

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