Finishing

On Monday, I sent my latest manuscript to my agent.

Afterward, I was chatting with a dear friend of mine, Brigid Kemmerer, who had also just sent a newly finished manuscript off into the ether (and by "into the ether", I mean: to her editor). She mentioned feeling rather bereft, like she was letting go of her main character (who, I will tell you right now, is awesome)(and by "awesome", I mean: HOT). She said it felt like he was headed off to college or something. Growing up.

I was also feeling this sense of loss; the euphoric frenzy of creation had come to an end for the time being. The story was told. I always thought finishing a manuscript would come with an emormous sense of accomplishment, and it did, but the primary feeling right now is ... sadness? Loss? Some sort of crash? I'm not sure.

So ... you tell me. How do you feel when you finish a writing project, however big or small? Ambivalent? Ecstatic? Emptied out? If you've finished more than one project, have you felt differently each time? Is it related to the content of the work, the emotional significance of it, the kind of writing? Help me understand this feeling--or introduce me to a new way of thinking about it. Or maybe ... just distract me so I don't pine for this story I've just finished telling.