So, the answer is: No, writing a novel has no meaningful analogy in the birth-giving process.

Why?

Because, you're never really done. I can now print out a document and say, "Here is a novel," but it's still not done. It needs a lot of work, and I'm doing that work. But I don't think it'll ever *stop* needing work. I guess, at some point, I simply stop working on it... but it'll still need work.

There is a definitive point when giving birth is over. That's when one job ends and another job begins. Not so with writing. Completing the first draft and then polishing it into a second draft and then editing it for submission or publication or whatever... it's all the same job.

It's like running a marathon that has no finish line. It's like Sysyphis (sp?) pushing that rock. It's like an Alanis Morrisette song on infinite repeat. It's a lot of work, at first, but then you realize that IT NEVER ENDS.

Actually, some would argue that the same would be true even if you just played the Alanis Morrisette song once.

Jeez, if I wanted to be in an environment where my work is never done and every day it's a question of just grinding, grinding, grinding... I could have stayed in the high tech industry!

More later. Got some work to catch up on.