Ending and Beginning (In Life and Writing)

I think it’s this way with most authors—by the end of a project you are weary of it. The story. The characters. It feels as if it is the most horrible thing you have ever written, but there it is. Done. Finally. This is especially true, I think, if the story has been more difficult to wrangle than usual. And so during those very final days and hours, it’s hard not to want to shove aside the not-quite-done story in favor of next project with its enticing possibilities.

That’s where I am at the moment—coming to the end of a story that has (I feel like) taken much longer to finish than it ought, that has wrung me out emotional and mentally with extensive revisions, left me wanting to quit at the finish line in favor of the story currently tickling the edges of my imagination. I want to jump into the new without coming to a full and satisfying finish with the old. 

A bit of background: While some of my stories have impacted and shifted various aspects of my faith, my real growth has come in the actual writing of the stories, through the process instead of what I’ve written. It’s been that way my entire writing journey.

So as I was giving myself yet another pep talk last weekend to “get ‘er done” before letting the new story take up full residence in my mind and heart (I’ve tried to allow two projects in at once and it just does not work for me!), it occurred to me that in my personal life I’m also at that ending/beginning point of two stories. However in that case, I find myself clinging to the old, dragging my feet about settling into the new story God is writing for us.

Just as in writing, I need to finish our old story well and to charge with great anticipation into the new. Embrace excitement over the known, the semi-known, and even the unknown of the pages yet to be turned. And to do so with joy, knowing that even if this new story takes unexpected turns, there is an Author in complete control. An Author who writes ultimately happy endings every single time, because every story ends in Him.

This week, my novella will finally go to my editor for the final edit. After a little bit of catching up on other things, I will then turn my full attention to the story that’s been sparkling just on the horizon, beckoning me into its light. As I do, I will pray for the courage to jump into the new story God is writing with our lives with the exact same enthusiasm.k

So tell me which you enjoy most–closing the book on a satisfying ending or opening a book to a world of possibilities?

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D'Ann Mateer

Inspired by novelist Eugenia Price, D’Ann’s dream of writing historical fiction with an element of faith began in middle school, though her serious drive toward publication took a bit longer. D’Ann is the author of four historical novels and one novella, as well as a contemporary short stories in a compilation volume. D’Ann and her husband of 30 years can be found in Austin, TX when they aren’t touring historic sites or visiting their grown children.

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