Playing catch up!

Sorry I haven't posted in a couple of days, after being stung by a rabid yellow jacket, I succumbed to a cold. Nasty little bugger! Okay, so what have I been doing.

Picked up "Writing the Breakout Novel" by Donald Maass. I really like this book. The author has a great way of explaining things in laymans terms. Plus I love the check list at the end of each chapter! If you don't have it, get it. I'm only on chapter two, but that's because I'm writing notes as I go. Pretty honest guy here.

I've been writing in my journal every day! Yippee, I've been such a good girl. I wrote a cool poem and I'll probably post it here in the next day or so. I've seen a lot of changes on some blogs and I've got to go visiting. *grin* I miss so much stuff when I don't.

I finished writing "A Kiss from the Rose" in its first incarnation of a first draft. It came to 35,980 words because I ended up cutting a lot of things that didn't make sense in the story and really had no purpose being there. Those extra half scenes broke the atmosphere of the story entirely. I thing that is something that is so hard to realize. Atmosphere and tone. Theme and premise. Everything must be bound to it. So now begins the process of adding. I'm taking notes from Janie, as she says it's much easier to add than to delete. So I'm going to be fleshing the story out. Making sure I have at least five pivotal forward moving "scenes" now that I now what that entails. But it's fun. But I'm going to have to put it down and let it rest for about a week or so. That way I can look at it with fresh eyes.

I've finished plotting "Blood on the Moon" yeah! I've got all of it nailed down finally. Plotting is my least favorite thing to do. It requires thought, and a lot of it. And sometimes I am by nature lazy. It's so much easier sometimes to just let your mind have free reign and let go. However, this is not the way to build a good story. Good stories take planning and forethought. How can you leave a trail of bread crumbs, little layered hints for your readers if you don't know where you're going? Can't do it therefore you must plot and think. (I know you're smiling Janie)

This Saturday I've been invited to go to a writer's coffee meeting. A couple of authors will be there hashing things out and talking about writing. I think it will be fun. Of course, we will have coffee so that always makes me happy. Now, I'd be estastic if they had Hornsby's Hard cider. I'm having withdrawal symptoms as I write this.

The dear daughter is doing well, and today was picture day. Picture day is a big deal at my house, we have to do hair and all that wonderful stuff. At least today we only had to fight about what shirt to wear since her school has uniforms. Big decisions here folks. Do we wear the red, white or navy shirt? You'd think it would be a simple choice, but oh no. Not with my little one. It took twenty minutes of deliberation, and one bowl of cereal before we could decide. So at least now that is past us.

Well, I'm going to hit the hay here shortly after I work a bit. I'm trying to stick to my writing goal of five hundred words per day. Trying to remain focused on one thing and not let my mind go off in a hundred different million directions. This is hard for me. When we talk about personality that is my one big fault. Focus. I think I have to many idea's running around in my brain.

Hugs
Michelle