August Update

Melissa:
It's September 1st and I'm slightly bummed with myself. I didn't get done with the book as I had hoped. Not for a lack of trying through! I've found a lot that needed work and feel the story is stronger for all the work these last two months. I shouldn't be upset with myself, there have been a few big events this month that slowed me, one being surgery and the other is school starting for kiddo along with football - those both pulled days from my writing schedule.

I've also found that with all else I do in a day, I need to have a schedule. So I usually only work on writing for an hour a day, some days more if I have the time with kiddo out and such. But mostly with working full time, cooking dinner, and all other things in life, an hour is what I can squeeze out most evenings. I also take breaks. I can't stress over it as I find I start to clam up on the words.

I also knew coming into the ending that it would need completely redone. In the last two read through's and re-writes I avoided the ending. I've made new short sections of things to touch on but didn't read it. I knew the story needed more work and without that work I couldn't even do the ending any justice. So now I'm at that ending. I'm pulling pieces from the three sections I've worked up and have notes on what additional needs to be touched on. Wow. It's a process! lol

I've learned one lesson this month:
In rewrites its not always how big of a section you get through or how many words you add or delete. No. Sometimes, it's what you realize needs done and how to add it in that's the major accomplishment. I found that out the first night in August. I didn't get through a large section but it dawned on me that I had a character that needs to be seen before I had him, at the end. And I scribbled notes on where to add him along with searched for a name for him. I had an idea of what his part is in the story but didn't really create him before.

So, I'm working through the ending of the story now. I feel much better with the direction of the story, though I know it needs a hell of a lot of work yet. I'm still going to be embarrassed to send it to anyone to read, but that's a step I'm going to have to overcome one day here.

For now, I'm working on this ending and hoping to finish the book in a weeks time (that's what I keep saying and that week comes and goes).