Aspects of Aragorn

[inzilbeth]

I've finally, finally finished it! After nearly four years, 170,000 words, 363 pages, umpteen rewrites, today I actually got to hold a printed copy in my hand. And yes, it felt every bit as good as I hoped it would!

I also feel like I'm suddenly got my life back even though I know I'm going to miss it terribly.

So what's next?

Reading, reading and more reading! I'm a serial reader of Tolkien canon but these last nine months, since I started posting  A of A weekly, I've hardly read anything and I really miss  the 'real' M-e. First up is a quick run through the Sil before returning to HoME. I've not read any of the 'First Book of Lost Tales' or the 'Lays' and have only dipped into  'The Lost Road' and 'The Shaping of M-e'. I can't wait to get stuck in, though I don't mind admitting that some of it can be fairly heavy going so I'll be catching up on some fics as well. I'm still going to need the occasional Aragorn fix!

And I'll certainly be doing more writing in due course but I do need a break. I felt very driven to write A of A. I don't feel that same complusion for my other WIP - well not yet! I don't want to return to Elrond's story until I've finished HoME. After writing the first three chapters. I then found one line in 'The War of the Jewels' which threw doubt on my interpretation of when Elrond left the care of Maglor. I'd rather find out these things first!

'In the Dark Places' is a long Aragorn and Halbarad in Moria tale, also with only three chapters written. This is very stationary at the moment. Increasing I find I'm drawn to Tuor's tale. There is so much there to get your teeth into. Ryan's despair puts Gilraen's in the shade. How does Annael explain her abandonment of him as a baby? He's a slave at just 16 years yet befriends the guards' dogs and escapes, but how does he cope spending the next four years alone? He's the first man to see the sea, and what about meeting Ulmo! Wow, how scary was that! Then he nearly dies on the way to Gondolin yet rapidly rises in honour to marry the king's daughter. And during the fall of the city, he personally slays Maeglin. What a challenge that would be to write. Then there's the escape through the tunnel and the attack by orcs and the balrog before he finally leads the survivors to the Havens and eventually sails off  - to where exactly?

Gosh, I might just be talking myself into writing that one! One thing's for sure, I'm not going to be bored any time in the next few decades!

Comments

[shirebound]

Congratulations, what an accomplishment! I'm enjoying reading it as it appears on SOA.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Thank you, and I so appreciate your support at SoA.

[estelcontar1.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! You must indeed be relieved that the tension is over. You should be very proud of your accomplishment too.

I'm going to love to read your three new stories when you start writing again, but for obvious reasons the one I'm most anxious about is "In the Dark Places". *grin*

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Thank you! When I see it all together like that in a book, I do feel rather proud, and, to be honest, that I ever wrote that much!

Umm, somehow I think that might end up being the one I do first!

[estelcontar1.livejournal.com]

Well, you won't hear any complaints from me. LOL

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

Congrats!!!! Gosh, you've worked so hard on that and it has all come together so well. Bravo! Now, to bring on Tuor or Halbarad and Aragorn in Moria... but yes, recharge your Tolkien batteries by reading the original. I plan on doing just that when At Hope's Edge is completely finalized. I think The Silm is where I'll start... I still have the study guide on the Ainulindole from NWRG to work though.

By the way, love your userpic. *grin*

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

Er, make that "Ainulindale"... although I'm not going to mess with trying to figure out how to get the two little dots above that last 'e'. LOL

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Thank you, yes, you really do need to go back to the real thing to find inspiration again, I think.

I must do a post on that userpic. *Grins* back!

[cairistiona7.livejournal.com]

I must do a post on that userpic. *Grins* back!

Methinks you should. :)

[meckinock.livejournal.com]

Congratulations! I've had a hard time getting back to fanfiction recently, so I'm sorry I haven't been keeping up, but I am so happy for you at finishing this, and you can be very proud.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Thank you, and especially thank you for your support in the early days of my posting this - it was very much appreciated. It does feel like an achievement now it's finished, but I can well see how writing can take over your life if you let it.
I hope, one day, you get the time and inclination to write again. I know I'm not the only one who misses your stories!

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Thank you, Roisin, I'm so glad you've been enjoying it. Yes, I will certainly join the reading circle at NWRG.

[lissas-elves.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!!! Oh, that must feel wonderful. XD

Tuor: Fascinating character - his life is so tumultuous, it's amazing that he manages to keep faith, to have hope. And... he just seems like a genuine nice guy.

PS: I noticed you didn't have the 'ë' - here it is. lol

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Thanks, yes, it is great to have finished but, at the same time, I do feel a bit lost without it .

I think Tuor reminds me a lot of Aragorn - maybe that's the appeal! And thanks for the 'ë'; I confess I was just being lazy there!

[lissas-elves.livejournal.com]

>>I do feel a bit lost without it<<

Well, several writers have mentioned how empty they feel after completing a long story, so that's definitely not unusual.

About the 'ë': We speakers of small languages actually have keyboards with all these funny little signs since we have to be able to write in many languages. :-)

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

How useful to have keyboards like that. I think they should all have them on. Don't the manufacturers of these things know how many Tolkien fans there are out there!

[lindahoyland.livejournal.com]

Congratulations!

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

Thank you, although I am missing it!

[ainu-laire.livejournal.com]

All of them sound very exciting, but I will always be a child of the late Third Age and love those tales the best. I'll push for the Moria story *g*

Still, I look forward to all of your future writings.

[inzilbeth-liz.livejournal.com]

LOL! And thank you. I'll do my best to finish the Moria one then!