New Pages

No, I didn't forget that I was supposed to do my blog yesterday, as promised, but I was on some much needed R & R with my family in Wisconsin for the day, so please forgive the delay.

I did get some more new pages written on Tuesday and Wednesday.  I edited the chapters I presented to my writing group on Sunday, and got those ready for an agent's eyes, I think.  Then I moved on to an extremely emotional chapter (can't be more specific because I don't want to give away my story before you get to read it in print).  I'm actually writing an entire new beginning to this chapter to make it stronger, and that takes time when you're dealing with emotional content.

As a writer, you have to view your words from the reader's point of view.  My job is to put them in the character's shoes.  That takes lots of staring at a blank screen while I find the right words inside me that do just that, forcing myself to think about what that character is going through, what the setting is like, etc.  It took me a couple of hours to write a page.  Then, I leave it for awhile, come back and re-read it, analyze, correct grammar, edit, change, etc.  That's why this process takes so long; it's never right the first time - very rarely anyway!

So, I'm still working on that same chapter.  I'm eager to get on to the next section of the book that is already written much as I think it will remain.  But, I know if I don't get the current chapers right, the rest won't matter because no one will continue reading.

I'll be back with the next blog in a day or so.