I’ve never felt happier writing ‘The End’ in all my life (so far) than I did last Friday. Yes, as you can probably surmise I finished my novel! I went and got it printed down the road and read the whole thing back to myself Friday night and Saturday day-time – you can read for hours and hours when its your own book

Ultimately the first-draft reads much more coherently than I would have expected. That being said there are certain parts that were written at the very beginning which I have been completely re-writing, because the characters and themes weren’t really formed properly yet. However I think a second draft will be probably finished by the end of next week, then I’ll probably give a copy to my family to read, see what they say. Anyway my head is quite tired from sleepiness and University so I must farewell to bed, but Yes! I finished my novel.

I just had an intense writing session. I must sleep now, but I think tomorrow I will finish the first draft. I must admit I grow a little fearful to read this all back, I hope I haven’t let one of the strands choke the other – I hope I haven’t let it turn into a breathless love story and lost the grit of the road, I hope I have retained both – we shall see after tomorrow night I suppose.

So I went to see Bob Dylan last night. It was at the Entertainment Centre – which is the biggest indoor venue you can get in Sydney (I think its similar to Madison Square Gardens). He wore his hat pulled down the entire night and the only words he spoke directly to the audience were: ‘thankyou friends’ then he introduced the band. For anyone who wasn’t an entrenched Dylan fan, there merely to witness the man himself, the actual physical Bob Dylan, it would have been pretty horrific. His phrasing is very different from the originals, and in my opinion never an improvement and his voice has two modes – tuneless old man croak and the occasional singing whine. Now, despite all that criticism, it was still well worth it to see him, to see the man, certainly he has been one of the biggest influences on the entire course of my life, so it was worthwhile for me just to know that he’s really there.


So that was Bob Dylan. ‘Thank-ya Bob’

I’ve got a-lot on the run right now. Yesterday I went to see someone who’s in artist management regarding The Old North (the newest band name – which hopefully will allow us to move ourselves up a notch in the Sydney scene. The agency books at The Basement and it looks like we’ll get a show there, which will easily be the most important venue I’ve played at. Also in about an hour, I’m going to go hand-off a demo CD of some of my electro-house music to a girl who works for a new record company that is looking for producers, so we’ll see how that pans out. Despite myself I’m continuing to write songs, even though I tried to swear it off till after the novel was finished, but there you go. Finally, my novel inches ever-ever closer to finishing – I’m about 3000 words from the end.

Otherwise I am technically at still University, which requires me to attend classes and tick my name off on attendance rolls. Though I suppose in a way University has been a good creative catalyst for me, I get so bothered during the lead-up to exam time (because all my good hours and energies are spent learning what I need to know to pass) that when I’m finally free I always have a good creative splurge. This novel for example is in some-ways a hang-over from the burst that came after last semester’s exams.

Oh and one last thing: I am going to see Bob Dylan tonight! Now I understand that Bob is take it or leave it in his live performances, but I don’t care if I hate the show, it’ll just be nice to see the man standing on stage as a real person.

Anyways, I am going to edge closer to the thankful end of my book. Till next time world.

I have just finished writing the last sub-plot climaxes, now all that remains is to tie up the ‘now’ time and write the final scenes of the book, the back-story climax that will intertwine with the end of the ‘now’ time. I will be quite excited to actually print off a copy and read it through, back to back, to see how it actually flows, though of course there is also the fear that it might not connect properly, that it might have to be re-created. Either way I think it will be quite an achievement simply to have sustained a narrative for 80 000 words. In Everest terminology, I’m about four person lengths from reaching the summit.

Its quite late so I am going to retire, but be on the lookout for a post regarding the big finisher. yey!