Five Clues to Letting Everyone Know You've Started a First Draft

            I no longer have to announce to my family that I’m starting a new draft for a novel. They recognize the signs before I even have time to boot up the computer. So if any of you are planning to start a writing project, you may want to check this out and avoid the pitfalls that I make.

1)      Feeding the Pets – I simply forget. It’s a good thing our cats meow ceaselessly and our dog stands in front of the refrigerator whining and pawing at it. My husband knows immediately that I am sequestered in the small office/guest room immersed in some sort of saga and that I won’t remember to feed them until late at night or the next morning. (OK, so maybe the next morning thing only happened once, but believe me, our pets have plenty of extra cushioning to withstand 12 food-less hours. Luckily, my husband is never too far from the kitchen so that won’t happen again. 

2)      Doing the wash – When the sock drawers are completely empty and one of us has to drive to Walmart because there’s no time to do the wash, it means I’ve been developing a plot line and can’t think of anything else. 

3)      Return of the “Lean Cuisine” Meals – When the refrigerator is fully stocked with “Lean Cuisine” meals, it means I’ve completely blocked out anything but my book. For a while it was just weeks of microwaved eggs but even the dog refused to eat them. Now, whenever my husband sees anything that remotely resembles a TV dinner, he has a full blown panic attack.

4)      The mail stack – When our stack of mail needs three paperweights to hold it down, it means I’m too busy creating believable characters. But don’t worry. My husband made sure most of our essentials are on automatic bill pay so we won’t be forced out of our house or left in the dark because of a neglected bill. Utility companies have no sense of humor. 

5)     DVR Overload – I originally thought it was a brilliant idea to get a DVR and record programs that I couldn’t watch because I was too busy writing. Guess what? They get deleted anyway. I’ve come to the realization that I will never have enough time to catch up on back episodes of “Revenge” and “Betrayal.”  Someone will have to commit screen time adultery and murder without my immediate knowledge.

Remember, the first draft will take your breath away. The revisions will give you migraines but the end result will be worth everything, even if your cats ignore you and the dog decides to pee on your desk!