Getting to the end

I'm thinking about a new high fantasy, possibly a short story.  I hope it's a short story.  I've got too many novels going right now in various drafts to add another one.  I have to be especially picky about what I'm writing right now because Nanowrimo will be here before we know it.  I'm not sure what my Nano project will be this year, but it'll be something novel-ish.  I have a couple of non-fiction things in mind--continuation of the sex book, a book on family life with high functioning autistic kids, and my experiences as a modern grass widow with comparisons to the way it used to be.

Then there's fiction.  Since 50,000 words isn't a novel length work, I have no moral problem with picking up at, say, chapter 12 or whatever and writing from there all month, hopefully to the end.  So that puts the sequel to Masks on the table.  I could start on the third book in the series, but that would be tough to do without having the end nailed down.  That's one of the downsides of writing without an outline.  I'm also always open to starting something completely new.  I had a lot of fun with my last two Nanos and, though I haven't had time to do anything with them yet, I wouldn't mind adding another book to my rough draft pile for editing later.  I used to fuss and protest having a deep pile of books in rough draft form, but I've realized that this way I can pick and choose only my favorite ones to finish.  It's okay if I never get to the other ones.  There's no rule that says I have to finish every rough draft I write.

Having said that, though, if it becomes a habit to write a rough draft and never do anything with it, I'll have to make myself do it.  So far that hasn't been a problem, though.  I don't think.

I don't know!

It doesn't matter.  My office will be ready to grout soon, and then I can edge it, grout the edging, and be done, done forever!  Mwa ha ha!  Before I grout, though, sadly I'll have to give all the bordering tiles and grout a thorough cleaning.  I hate that.  That's one of many problems with stopping partway in a tile job.  While the project is languishing, dust, dirt, sweat, blood and other stuff accumulates and has to be completely removed before you can finish the final sections.  So if you decide to tile, I recommend doing it all at once if at all possible.

Same with writing a rough draft.  It's really tough to pick up a project that's written partway and then left alone in a corner to collect dust.  If at all possible, finish the rough draft of a novel within a few months.  Then it can languish for as long as you want it to with no harm done.

Good luck everyone with projects you're in the midst of.