Hi, Michelle. I'm just about where you are — I've finished a first draft (actually it's about a fourth draft) and it's now in the hands of my "beta readers." It took a long time to get the story to the point where I felt I wouldn't be fatally embarrassed to share it with others. Art is one thing, but getting right my CRAFT — pacing, hooks, conflict establishment, character development, uniform chapter lengths, regularly placed cliffhangers, scene development, etc. — was quite another. I'm mentally exhausted, and I know that I've still got miles to go before I sleep. Or publish.

Do you feel good about what you're accomplished so far?

Jim