Are We There Yet?

"Are we there yet?"

"Yep, we're there!" I respond.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure. Didn't you see me put it away. Geez."

"Finished?"

"Yes, finished, complete, done - I'm so over it. Now let's talk about something else."

That's the conversation I had this morning while on my daily exercise routine. I walk to the beach every morning. Most people I pass have a "significant other" walking with them. I have an invisible "significant other" -- my muse. And she never lets up!

Just as the sun is rising I put on my Sketchers Shape Ups -- you know the tennis shoes that are suppose to give you a workout. Well, they do, believe me -- but as far as weight loss -- hmmmm that's another story. When I walk I think, I observe, I listen to my muse -- it's when I get all my inspiration for writing. It's also the time  when I forget to take my recorder to record my great ideas and I end up begging the tram driver to borrow his pen and write on a napkin at the beach cafe. But, hey, any port in the storm....

So today I was feeling rather smug because I finished another manuscript. Or, so I thought. My muse would not leave me alone.

"You left Emily standing before the judge," my muse said.

"So?" I bark back.

"How does she feel? What does she do next? Didn't you forget a major 'show, don't tell' portion."

Dang, I hate it when she's right.

When I got home, dripping with sweat (it's still majorly hot and humid here) - I slid onto my chair, opened my computer and went to court. There was Emily standing before the judge - scared - yeah, yeah, I know I'm telling not showing...but I haven't written it yet. I poised my fingers on the keyboard and began to write.

"Are we there yet?"

"No, we're still working on it. Emily runs into the tin lady again and I need to SHOW what happens next."

So how do you know when you have finished a story? Do you obsess like me - always thinking I could add a little more here or show a bit better there?

BTW: Don't tell my husband that I forgot my recorder. He bought it for me and isn't happy when I return home holding seven napkins.