Chapter 42: Finishing

“I’m starting chapter 42,” said the metanovel, as it started chapter 42. “In it, we’re going to make a plan, and we’re going to follow the plan, and we’re going to finish me.” “You’re the boss,” I said, only half joking. “I am,” said the metanovel, dead serious. “The big missing piece,” I said, “is the section where we teach the readers how to write their own metanovels. I’ve written that section about a dozen different times. “See the drafts?” I pointed to dozens of pages I’d written, then pulled out. “That section?” Asked the metanovel. “We’re going to get rid of it.” “But why?” I asked. “Two reasons,” said the metanovel. “First, I already show them everything that they need to know. Or very nearly. Second, because I want to be finished. “Those sections are not necessary. Things are coming to closure. Let’s close.” “How we do that?” I asked. “We clean up all the loose ends,” said the metanovel. “We start on the next page. “Move!” Self-Referential Metanovel Writing for D*mmies