In a world where we keep spinning at an ever faster pace, I am slow. And I'm okay with that … especially when it comes to writing.

There are writers who set word count goals to accomplish each day. For example, Stephen King has a goal of 2,000 words a day, and I laud those who can set goals and keep them. My process lends itself more to there being some days 200 words on the page might be a win, when another day might bring 5,000 words and I stop only because my hands cannot keep up. While I do outline prior to starting any work, once I'm actively writing something, I let the characters guide me.

I received the manuscript for South of Happy back from the editor a few weeks ago and have been working my way through the comments. (HUGE shoutout to Christopher Brooks!!!) My editing progress may be even more erratic than drafting progress. A good editor (and Christopher is excellent) challenges the author to stretch and points out things they have been blind to, no matter how many times they have revised the manuscript.

South of Happy edits are no exception to the rule—which means some sections I can breeze through, but others stop me in my tracks and I need to think things through. I enjoy the introspective deep dives that happen during this editing pass because the result is a much richer result for the reader.

I'm like the turtle, slowly moving through and stopping occasionally to take in the scenery. Sometimes, the editorial notes are about one thing, and I have an epiphany about something else. Case in point (and the inspiration for this blog post):

The editorial notes had to do with a scene where two characters are walking along a road and then move into the woods lining the road. The comments were about clarifying the setting details. But while focused on the setting, a question arose. WHY were they walking? In the normal course of events, neither character would have walked to school, so why were they walking home?

Then I wondered whether Agatha Christie had a similar moment, and whether a single question had spawned an entire novel in, Why Didn't They Ask Evans? The single question stopped me in my editing tracks and it led to several other questions I needed to answer.

The amazing thing is that I had all the elements to hand in the story not only to answer the question, but to help me provide better context and a lusher experience for the reader.

If I had been pushing myself to race through the edits with the primary goal of simply getting through them, I'd have missed the lack of motivation on the page. Yes, there are times I may despair that I'll ever finish, so want to blast through to the end, but something usually crops up to make me extremely glad I took the extra time.

Photo by Jose Aragones

No one who has read the manuscript to date, not even my editor, raised the question or noticed the lack, but I'm so glad it caught my attention—this time. I take a great deal of pride in polishing up a manuscript until it shines and love the occasions when something jumps out at me, even if it takes revising multiple sections of the work to get it right. So I'll continue turtling along in the slow lane, and when I get to the finish line, I'll have an even greater sense of fulfillment knowing I did my best.

One additional bit of information … the title for the book has changed from Winds Blowing South of Happy to South of Happy because South of Happy simply suited it better and I am even happier with the title than I was before. Hopefully, we'll have a cover soon.

The picture at the top is a visual for my editing process … coming out of the dark into the light, but up ahead is the unknown.

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A writer's life is cyclical in nature. We have the shiny new idea phase, followed by the first draft, followed by self-edits (multiple rounds), then it is sent away for someone else to look at and give feedback on, and then it's back into the editing cave (these last two steps can happen multiple times), it goes to a proofreader, then (hopefully) one more go round and we have a product we can take pride in. By the way, I don't mention research, but that is part of every stage, from shiny new idea to proofreading.

While the percentages are somewhat subjective, the chart pretty much defines the writing process, NOT including all of the other activities outside of writing the actual book. The bulk of the time is spent editing, revising, tweaking, and polishing. So, writers spend a lot of time in the editing cave.

“The only kind of writing is rewriting.”
~Ernest Hemingway

I often get fascinated by small details that have little relevance to the task at hand … as in this case when my mind wandered off on the tangent of why writers say they are going into a cave for both writing and editing. So, I looked up the meaning behind spelunking. The official meaning/definition is: the exploration of caves, especially as a hobby. But that didn't shed any light on how it is used by writers.

On my travels through the land of internet search, I found spelunking is used for the amateur cave explorer while caving is used for professional forays such as exploring from a conservation or biological standpoint and the scientific study is Speleology. A side note of interest is that spelunking is known as potholing in the UK. But that doesn't help to determine why the writing process involves the term cave for both writing and editing.

I understand the feeling … when I start a project or am in the middle of working on one, I feel as if I'm "holing up" — cutting myself off from the outside world and diving into the world of my characters. Is that enough of a meaning? Maybe … but then I ran across this little nugget from an article titled "Caving – Why Do We Do It?":

Curiosity may be the common thread running through the many reasons for caving, but it is not a reason in itself to venture underground. For many, the sheer adventure and excitement of seeking out obstacles and the satisfaction of overcoming them are motivation enough.

For me, that truly nails the cave aspect. As writers, we journey into a dark place, one that may only have a glimmer or two of light as we start our exploration. We know we're going to meet and have to overcome obstacles to reach journey's end. The prospect is exciting and somewhat terrifying at the same time because we venture into the unknown with only the spark of an idea as our guiding light.

As one humorist put it in the Urban Dictionary, "Origin: "spelunk" is the sound a clumsy caver makes when he slips and falls in a cave and lands in water." Our characters lead us astray and into dead ends, we face pitfalls, and yes, we slip and fall … often landing in either water or mud. Yet the adventure of uncovering the story drives us on.

At present I'm in the more editing, more revising, tweaking, and polishing stages of the process with Rain Falling on Embers (Mar 21, 2023/Vesuvian Books). I have received edits back from my editor supreme, Christopher Brooks, and am entering the cave. Wish me luck and send plenty of coffee and good thoughts.

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One of the questions that most fiction authors are asked at one point or another is “how did you get the idea for the story?” Sometimes this is a hard question to answer.

The easy answer is: LIFE

Actually, there are several ways in which an author can come up with an idea for a book.

Through reading or hearing about a current or past event. Maybe you read about a historical event and something about the situation intrigues you and you start imagining characters and how they deal with the events occurring. This can be through newspapers, something you see on TV, or even other books you read.

Visual imagery — You might see a picture that draws your attention and you can start building up a story about what happens in the picture. I still have one book that I haven’t written where I came up with the idea in this very same way. I was visiting a friend’s house and she had a picture on the wall of sketching of two girls and just looking at the picture, I started to imagine the story of what was happening in the life of those two girls. I even knew their names just by looking at the picture (Cassandra and Alexandra). I have jotted down my ideas for this story and one day will get around to writing it.

A setting — I once went to school in Owatonna, Minnesota, and realized that the school I went to would be a great setting for a story. I knew that my main character would be someone who was not used to having any rules enforced, and the school rules were very strict. This story will actually (when I finish it) cover the course of 3 books, because the story that I want to tell with it is too long for one book.

Daydreams — Sometimes your mind wanders off on its own and something you see or hear sparks a line of “what if” thinking or imagining and you realize that when you get through to the end of the “what if” that you have the basis for a story.

Dreams — Believe it or not, the first book I completed writing was the result of a dream that I had. When I woke up from my dream, I knew that I had the making of a story — I knew the beginning, the middle and the end. I didn’t know all of the details of course, but the major points of the story were all there and all I had to do was write it.

Reading another story — Sometimes you read a story and think to yourself “that’s not the way I’d write it”, and then write your own version of the story. Or maybe it’s just part of the story where you think an underlying part of the story was left out.

Tips for generating story ideas:

Study an author whose books you like. Identify what it is that you like about how they write. It’s also important identify things that you don’t like and know why. It helps you to avoid the same thing in your own work.

Some writers carry a notepad wherever they go so they can jot down ideas as they come up. Or they will keep a journal to at least write something down every day. The more you write, the better you can become.

The internet is like a cornucopia of ideas waiting to be found. Google or Yahoo writing prompts and you will find several exercises to give you ideas. Something like: Start with a character that has an unusual fear. What is the fear? How does the character react when he/she has to face that fear? If you start with an idea like that, you are well on your way to creating a story, as well as character development.

These are just a few of the ways in which you can come up with a story. Can you think of others?

The main thing to remember is that you shouldn’t try to force yourself to come up with ideas. Sometimes the biggest obstacle to coming up with an idea is the fear of not being able to come up with an idea. Just relax and let your mind wander. Something will pop in sooner or later.

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Every writer I know has a to-do list. And it seems like the harder I work on mine, the more it grows. Of course, my manager, Italia Gandolfo has something to do with that. As soon as I knock something off the to-do list, she adds three or four things and gives me an evil laugh. I think she’s trying to keep me occupied so I stay out of trouble and have less time to make jokes. *whispers* It doesn’t work… I postpone doing the to-do list and do something that makes me laugh anyway. I just tell her the world needs more laughter.

Why do most writers have a to-do list? To help us keep track of what we’re supposed to be working on and give us some semblance of order. And certain things need to be done whether we like them or not … kinda like life itself. My informal list is always comprised of the following major categories and the specific items underneath those categories tend to fluctuate: Stuff I should be doing, Stuff I need to do, Stuff I want to do, and the final category (and my personal favorite) Stuff I am doing. I’m going to share a portion of my current to-do list and explain why some of the items are where they are. (And normally I don’t write out the list… but if it gets too much longer, I’m going to have to in order to know what I should be working on.

1. Stuff I Should Be Doing:
• Writing Character Sketches

  • This item could be writing character sketches (which I do have to do for the chapter book series), or outlining a writing project, or doing research for a story — anything relating to writing preparation. Something of this nature is always on my to-do list because I have several projects in the works in various stages at any given time. In this particular case, I need to start creating a series “bible” for the chapter book series Timmy and the Golden Lion Tamarin. Because this project is a collaboration, my writing partners, Luke, Olivia, and I need all the details in one place.

• Revising a scene

  • Revisions and edits are an essential part of the writing process. No matter what else I’m working on, I usually have something that requires revisions or edits — whether my own work or someone else’s that I’m editing. While writing the story itself is largely a solitary process, a necessary part of the cycle is getting someone else to take a look and provide feedback on the work. I have someone I trade work with, so she provides editorial notes on my work once it is ready and I do the same for her. In addition to this, I also edit manuscripts for some of my agency mates. So revisions and edits always on my list because I do several rounds of edits on my own work before giving it to anyone else.

• Blogging

  • This is the item that is ALWAYS on my list and the one I always push off to get other things done. I admire those writers who are able to plan out and get articles posted on a regular basis. My poor neglected blog sometimes cries its heart out in the middle of the night because it is not high on my priority list. And I do enjoy blogging. It’s just when looking at the mountain I have to climb with the things I have to do and look at the clock and realize I can’t stop time from ticking away, I get overwhelmed and know how much time it takes me to put together a post. So it usually gets kicked to the side. I consider putting together a blog post a noteworthy event. And I ask for a cookie when I’m done.

• Create Timeline for the WIP (Work in Progress)

  • This is similar to the Character Sketches in that it can be one (or more) of several activities. But while the Character Sketches item pertains to projects other than the current work in progress, this pertains to the current work. Right now, I need to establish a plot timeline for the book I’m working on so I can nail down the flow of the book. This could be any additional administrative type activity which is not part of the actual drafting/editing process of the WIP.

• Answer Emails

  • While this may seem like an insignificant thing to put on a to-do list, the number of emails keeps increasing and the time to answer them keeps shrinking. So time must be allotted to tame the inbox.

2. Stuff I Need To Do:
• Laundry
• Grocery Shopping

  • I’m going to be brief with this category and lump these items together. Essentially, these are the tasks that must be done to keep life moving forward. Evil, but necessary things. Grocery shopping always reaches the critical point when the toilet paper runs low. That’s one item I cannot ignore and the thought of running out forces me to brave the stores. While you’re still in school, someone else may take care of the life essentials for you, but homework could go in this spot.

3. Stuff I Want To Do:
• Write more of current WIP

  • I am currently working on an upper YA in the drafting phase and it is not the number one priority task for completion, so of course, it is the task calling my name the loudest. It never ceases to amaze me how many writers get shiny new ideas while working on their WIP… which makes them want to drop the current WIP to explore the shiny new idea. This usually happens when half to three quarters of the manuscript has been completed. The shiny on the current WIP has worn off and you’re in the midst of the realization that writing is hard work. Then along comes the temptress of the shiny new idea, luring you away from the task at hand.

• Get a massage

  • This could be a massage, going to the movies with friends, hanging out at the mall, ANYTHING other than a writing related task that brings you pleasure and something where you cannot possibly write while doing. I’ve heard there is life outside of writing and occasionally I want to do things that have nothing to do with writing. These items usually stay on the list for a while because like the blogging, they usually get kicked to the curb so I can get something else completed.

• Stuff I AM Doing:
• Playing with Photoshop
• Posting on Facebook
• Tweeting with friends
• Posting pics on Tumblr
• Ditto on Instagram

  • Basically, this is what writers do when they’re trying to pretend the to-do list isn’t currently leaning over and getting ready to crush them. Goofing off. Letting off a little steam now and then is actually good for the work. The trick (and it is a real juggling act) is to balance the goofing off to give yourself a break with making forward progress on the list of things to get done. For me it is mentally essential to take these breaks. If I cut myself off from social interaction for too long a period, I go stir crazy and the work suffers. But I also don’t let the 10 or 15 minutes of playing extend to a half-hour, hour, or two hours (very often ) If you find you are not able to manage the time limits on the play time, set up an alarm or use the online programs which limit internet. I don’t use those because I frequently need to research a point during the middle of working on whatever it is that I’m working on… and it would be a pain to have to turn off that restriction just to do what is necessary for the job. But I have heard others say those services work effectively for them.

There you have it… my basic working list at any given time. What does your to-do list look like?

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A few years back … *checks calendar* Wow! Time flies when you’re busy writing. … or a few more than a few years back, I worked with a teacher friend of mine and her gifted students on a creative writing module and put together a few posts with some writing tips for young writers. Since I will be starting a new book project just as soon as I finish the final read through on the editing project I’ve been working on, I thought it would be a good opportunity to dust the tips off, update them, and add more as I go through the process.

In the tips for young writers, we’ll cover the writing environment, how to get started, overcoming writer’s block, different storytelling methods, character development, plot development, conflict, continuity, and will then dive into the wonderful world of editing and how to trim the fat from the manuscript, different methods to give yourself fresh eyes for the work, and how to polish it until it sparkles, and whatever else occurs to me along the way.

I’ll be posting one tip every couple weeks and you’ll be able to find them under the Writing menu as Young Writers

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Thank you for stopping by for this week’s Writing Process Blog Tour!

This is a travelling blog tour that pops up every Monday for writers to share a little about what, how and why they write. If you’re a writer, I hope it cheers you on on your journey — and if you’re not, hopefully it will give you some little insight into the lives of the people who create the stories you love.

Thanks so much to the wonderful Anna Tan for inviting me to participate. Anna and I met in the wilds of Twitter when it was still shiny and new. She’s incredibly supportive of the writing community and with each passing year, I admire this woman more. She dabbles in a broad spectrum of writing, including poems, scripts, novels, and flash fiction. I am always in awe of anyone who tackles flash fiction and short stories — mainly because I’ve never written a short story that didn’t want to stretch into a novel. I encourage you to drop by her blog and check out her writing process.

Now on to the questions.

What am I working on?

Right at the moment I’m working on editing some projects for mates at Gandolfo Helin Literary. It has been a great learning experience and has helped me to get to know some of my agency mates better in a short period of time. I can’t really talk about what the projects are, only that once they’re out, you’re going to love them.

In addition to the edits, I’m prepping to work on my next novel, which will be a stand-alone, upper YA, that goes darker places than my current works. The idea came to me in 2010 as I was driving to work. The sun was shining on the palm trees as I drove down the backside of Disneyland, and I was enjoying the cool of the morning, when BAM! I had this idea in my head so strongly I nearly pulled over to catch my breath. So I’ve been living with this idea for four years, mulling over aspects of it while working on other things, getting flashes of scenes here and there, and I’m beyond excited to know I will finally have a chance to test my mettle as a writer and get this one down on the page. My goal is to start drafting sometime in June.

How does my work differ from others in its genre?

I primarily write for the younger side of YA and the older side of Middle Grade, (the new book I just mentioned being an exception to this), while the bulk of YA is targeted at slightly older readers, so that is one difference. I also have a distinctive writing style, which makes it easy for readers to “see” what’s going on in the story, and helps them connect on an emotional level to the characters.

I’ll hear writers talk about their works in progress and whether they are plotters (making sure they have an outline to work from, character sketches, etc.) or pansters (start writing and see where the story takes them) they will mention something about making their character(s) do something. I can’t make my characters do anything. If we argue about it, I lose. Every. Time. You see, the characters come to me and tell me their story, and while sometimes I have to pull it out of them, I don’t “make” them do anything. My role is that of scribe. I listen to what they say, and my job is to transcribe everything and get it all cleaned up to show their story in the truest form I possibly can.

Why do I write what I do?

This question made me smile because I can recall having a conversation on Twitter where a friend pushed me to say why I write. We had been discussing reasons why certain books grabbed readers attention and I mentioned that I just wrote the stories that came to me. As the author, I’m way too close to the story and have a difficult time seeing the outward reaching value of my work. The work is so intensely personal to me, and when anything is personal, I dive inward. But when pushed on it, I went off on a rant at 140 characters at a time to say exactly why I write what I do. The stories come to me for a reason. Of that I am certain. They are meant to reach kids (and adults) and have them connect with my characters. The circumstances may not be the same, but the readers can connect to the emotions and feelings of my characters and realize they are not alone in this crazy, mixed-up world. I write for the age group I do, because they are trying to figure out who they are, who they want to be, and are faced with having to leave childhood behind and begin stepping into adulthood. It’s a time when most kids have confusion, feel unloved, like they are so incredibly different and not normal, and they so desperately want to fit in, to be one of the group. Even those who are at the center of the “group” have doubts, insecurities, and overwhelming emotions. My books are written to say – “Hey, you’re not alone.” And sometimes, that’s all they need to know. That someone else has experienced the same feelings they have … and made it through. I write because my characters need a voice. I write because I have to.

How does my writing process work?

Different. Every. Time. With each and every book my writing process has been different. Up until writing the fourth book in a series, I could say that if nothing else, I started at the beginning wrote to the end, then stopped. However, writing the fourth book, I started with scenes that are at the end of the book, as well as one scene that has been pushed into book five, and I wrote significant chunks out of order. I used to say I always write with a loose outline — which I normally do, but then hit a Middle Grade where I didn’t use one — couldn’t use one.

The characters come to me, tell me their story. I generally jot down some notes, figure out how the timeline runs, and then start writing. Even when I outline prior to starting, the outline is then tucked away, and I let the story take its course with the characters leading me the entire way. My job is to crawl inside the heads of my characters and share their experience on the page. In essence, my writing process is sitting my butt in a chair and keeping it there until I’m done. Then I put the manuscript away for a few weeks while working on other things (I always have other projects to work on.) Then I take it out, read it through and see what kind of book I have. I tend to be a bare bones drafter, getting down only the essentials, and then afterward go back and add some of the descriptive passages, giving setting, making the story more full-flavored. Then the fun begins.

Once I’m through massaging some of the passages and building up sections that need it, I run my manuscript through an editing software and create a spreadsheet to edit by. I call it the evil spreadsheet because it points out everything — evil. But because it helps me to see things I otherwise would not, I love it as well. I also highlight all known repetitive words because the highlights help me see where I need to restructure sentences. Once I get through the “technical” edits, I read the story aloud for pace and flow. (If you don’t do this, it is probably my number one suggestion to help you catch things that need fixing.) After that round, I start from the back and read it backwards paragraph by paragraph. It helps you focus on the sentence level out of context, so your familiarity with the story hinders you less. And finally, I put it on my Kindle and have the robotic voice read it to me. I’m always amazed at what I catch this way. Then the manuscript is ready to be sent to a trusted critique partner for her to slash it up for me, and then beta readers for feedback. Then after dealing with the feedback, I feel like I have accomplished the goal of writing a book.

Thanks so much for stopping by, it’s been fun. Don’t forget to stop by these two good friends of mine next week, to hear about their writing process.

Eisley Jacobs and I met on Twitter, and then I had the lovely privilege of meeting her in person at Rocky Mountain Fiction Writers (RMFW) Colorado Gold Conference in Denver, and have managed to see her smiling face a few times since then – whenever we can get together. The first thing I think about when thinking about Eisley is her tremendous spirit. She has a passion and enthusiasm for projects which amazes me. She conceives of the idea and then she’s doing it. I remember her tweeting about her heart being drawn to Ethiopia, and a couple months later she was on a plane with a mission group to help the Ethiopian people. She has a tremendous heart, and in her writing you find the same passion, enthusiasm, and heart.

Monica Enderle Pierce and I met on Twitter via the #wipfire hashtag, which has sadly faded away. We used it to post lines from our current projects and critique each others work — the writing community coming together to help one another. It was truly a wonderful thing. I became captivated by Monica’s writing ability through the snippets posted during our wipfire sessions, and we since then have become very good friends. A few years ago, I took a driving vacation and hunted Monica down to spend a wonderful weekend chatting, wandering around taking in nature, and writing, of course. And have been back to see her when I was in town for the Story Chairs opening. Blessed with a sharp wit, and an incredible writing talent, Monica weaves a story to keep readers turning the pages.

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I know that may not sound like a bad problem to have, but for me it is. When things go too smoothly, and I find myself speeding along during the revision process, doubt creeps into my head and I fight with the question of what I’m missing. Is it going smoothly because I’m missing the whole chunks? Or *horrors* have I committed the unpardonable sin of falling in love with my own work? While it’s good to enjoy your own work, if you’ve fallen in love with it, you are blind to its faults, which is deadly during the editing process.

I have become even more distractible than normal (and that’s saying a mouthful) and find that I have started to avoid the revision/editing process. I need the reminder that there is really no finish line, because although I may finish or at least think I have, the manuscript will then need to go to my trusted readers who will pick it apart and send it back to me, so I can start the process all over again. So that being said, I should probably quit procrastinating by writing this post, settle my mind, sit my writerly butt down, and head down revision road.

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The reason I dislike it so much and call it evil all the time, is that it is tedious to go through. When you take a completed draft and run it through and find that you have written ~8,500 sentences (No Boundaries, Misfit McCabe series, book 3), the first thought is, “Wow! I’ve really accomplished something!” And you KNOW you’ve polished every single sentence, so the software won’t find much to correct, right? Oh, poor delusional author… when the results come back and you see that you have approximately 5,800 potential problems out of your 8,500 sentences (or ~68%), lightheadedness ensues. It’s like you’ve acquired a critique partner on steroids, and this one does not overlook ANYTHING!! So evil – evil – evil!

But after I’ve been revived and put ice on the lump on my head (from where it hit the counter when I passed out), I realize two things:

1. Fiction writing is supposed to have contractions, so I can whack those results from the start.
2. It forces me to look at my manuscript from another perspective. An almost true line by line read through, and I always see amazing things when I do that.

Now I don’t act on every suggestion from the software, that would be ludicrous and make for some boring reading. But the value is that it makes me relook at the specific sentence, out of context, and once you take sentences out of context, things tend to jump out that you weren’t able to see before. This aspect alone makes this process a valuable one because after so many times through the manuscript your brain starts playing tricks on you and it buries awkward phrasing and outright mistakes through familiarity. It also allows you to see where you may have used a particular device or way of phrasing things too many times, because if you have to see each and every time you used it in the entire novel, you do remember and know to go back and overhaul those points. For example, in No Boundaries I found I used the words while and since more times than I am comfortable with. I did change some of the instances, but need to go back and look for the high concentration areas so I can make some changes.

Every time I reach the phase of the process where it is time to embark in battle with evil S, I think about skipping the step. Then I rationalize and tell myself that if I don’t find too many items that I would make changes to in the first chapter, then I can release myself from the remainder because I have done a good job. THAT day has not come. Because every time I use the software, I remember why I got it in the first place – it helps me to be a better writer, and that is the goal.

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I need to start with a very simple statement about my feelings. Revising/editing is the bane of my existence. . . and I – LOVE – EVERY – MINUTE!!!

It’s also something which takes time. I can write the book itself in a relatively short time frame, but will spend MONTHS revising and editing. Every word in every sentence in every paragraph MUST be reviewed and mulled over. And there are days in which I think I will go insane doing it. (No comments necessary from my peanut gallery, please.) BUT the end result is soooo worth the effort.

I think about the writing process as similar to mining. In writing you start with a blank page and either a pen or a computer, and dive in to your imagination trying to find a story line using the flickering light of the glimmering idea to light your way. In mining, you get suited up, ensuring you have the proper equipment; hard hat with light, picks, and something to haul stuff back to the surface. You dig deep to find the raw material, getting excited when you hit a rich vein. You follow the vein until it unexpectedly comes to an end, and then cast about for another vein as rich, which may go even deeper. As you work, you put props along the way to help prevent cave in, and mark the walls so you can find your way back. When you’re done, you know you’ve collected enough, you have a pile of rubble with gems hidden inside. Or with writing, you have your first draft.

But it doesn’t do any good to have collected the raw materials if you don’t do anything with them, so the revision and editing process begins. Dusting off your tools, you pick up a chunk and start chipping away to free the diamond inside. Once you’ve knocked away the crust and have reached the diamond itself, you’re not done by a long stretch. Now you have to figure out how this particular chunk will best present and you pick up your finest tools, and delicately tap away, taking off a shiny bit here and there, removing as many flaws as you can, to ensure the end result shines and refracts the light with brilliance. This is a very painstaking and time consuming process. But without this process, the diamond-in-the-rough remains a lump of coal.

The bottom line is editing and revising is where you give your work a chance to shine – why would you want to bypass or rush it?

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So, what am I procrastinating? Finishing the editing of Nowhere Feels Like Home. I know I have to make some changes, I even know what most of the changes are, but day after day has gone by and I have yet to pick the manuscript back up and work with it. I really do want to finish it and get on with the next book, but instead of returning to work on it, what do I do? Look at other websites, get caught up in reading tweets or any other social networking site, and inventing reasons to call people. Even now, in writing this, I am procrastinating working on the writing I need to get to. Pretty soon, I’ll look back on the evening, and say, time just slipped away. Time didn’t slip away, I ran from the task at hand.

Why do I get this way when I’m so close to finishing? I think it boils down to exactly that. I am so close to the finish line, I can taste it. The end is in sight, and all I have to do is cross the finish line. But once I have crossed that line, I can’t go back and tweak the manuscript any longer. It will be officially complete. I am a confirmed tweaker. If it was possible, I’d still be making changes to Misfit McCabe. So, when all’s said and done, actually finishing a manuscript and calling it complete is a very emotional thing for me. I feel like it’s sending my baby out to fend for itself, and like anyone facing empty nest syndrome, I’m not quite ready to let go of my baby yet. You don’t want to send your child out to face the world before they are ready to take it on and soar. But, I must. And so, I must put an end of this procrastination…and now…to work.

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LK Griffie
To buy Misfit McCabe, visit my store at Lulu.com or purchase at Amazon.com
To track Misfit McCabe across the country, visit: Where in the World is Misfit McCabe?
Own a Kindle? Download Misfit McCabe in an instant.
For other e-book formats, visit Smashwords.com
To read book reviews by LK Griffie, visit: The LL Book Review

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I actually think that it is a good thing because I have been pushing myself to finish and without this little break, I would most likely have forced myself to tie it up in a bow and call it done. I hit the point where I was ready to be done with the work, while the work is not ready to be done. It is these times when the right thing to do is put the work on the shelf and walk away. When I’m pushing to finish is the exact time when the worst things can happen to my work. I can gut things that should stay, I can add things that shouldn’t be there. This way, neither author or characters get hurt.

So while the manuscript sits on its figurative shelf, I wait for the siren call that is sure to come. The music may start softly and then will build with time until I can no longer stand to be away from the story line and the characters within. Will I miss the first notes of the siren song through inattention? Or will they come to me clearly, calling my name, and luring me back into the depths of editing? When I hear the song, it will be the right time. The time to pick the manuscript up, dust it off and dive into the pages and make the necessary changes. I will once again transform into the writer, where little else matters in the world except my story. So, Katie, I’m waiting to hear those first whispered notes. Sing to me Katie McCabe and call me back to the place I long to be.

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LK Griffie
To buy Misfit McCabe, visit my store at Lulu.com or purchase at Amazon.com
To track Misfit McCabe across the country, visit: Where in the World is Misfit McCabe?
Own a Kindle? Download Misfit McCabe in an instant.
For other e-book formats, visit Smashwords.com
To read book reviews by LK Griffie, visit: The LL Book Review

The post Thoughts From the Morning Commute – Waiting for the Siren Call appeared first on Be the Cat.

This morning, I did think about how being an author is such a solitary endeavor. It’s not a new thought I know, but I think that’s why so many authors I know enjoy Twitter so much. Think about it, you’re working away, typing, scribbling, deleting, maybe, like me, talking to yourself as you go. You just pour your heart and soul on to the page, or write and extreme action packed scene. You have been through the emotions with your characters. You take your hands off the keyboard, or for some of the more old-fashioned authors, put the pen down, and you know you’ve nailed it. You’ve just done some of your best work. Your heart is racing and you want to share your enthusiasm and elation with someone. . .anyone. Here’s where Twitter comes in. You pop onto the Internet, bring Twitter up and instantly have a sense of community. Someone out there is listening and you can Tweet or Twitter about your success and the feelings that you have. Someone is bound to tweet back, and even if unrelated to what you have written, you feel comforted. There is another soul out there who understands.

Anyone who follows this blog knows that I am an avid college baseball fan. I enjoy the team spirit, the competitiveness of the games, and how even the crowd is considered a part of the success or failure of the game. I follow our team’s games very closely, either from my seat in the stands, or when they are away via Gametracker and radio broadcasts. I am a devoted fan. Of course, then my mind segued into fans of books, like the following that JK Rowling and Stephenie Meyer have. Their fans are just as devoted to their writing as I am to my baseball games. The difference is that JK and Stephenie, and all the rest of the writers in the world, are competing (against the blank page) for the most part alone. When they write the passage that’s a home run, there’s no one to go crazy in the stands. Can you imagine it? A stadium full of screaming tweens and teens as Rowling or Meyer work at a table (the playing author playing field). Oh, the delete button is in heavy use, a groan arises from the crowd. A sudden a burst of typing occurs. A hush falls over the crowd. A smile lights up the corner of their mouth. A chant erupts as the fans cheer their author on to the finish line. And then it happens, the passage that has been such a struggle. All of the attempts, the strikeouts, the fresh starts, and all of a sudden, it’s out of here. A home run. The crowd goes wild.

And since it will never happen, we have twitter. Somewhere to share that burst of feeling we simply can’t contain. I know we have friends and family, but unless they also write, do they truly understand what it’s like to walk on air after having climbed a mountain and stand looking from the peak at the path you have conquered? You’ve run the race, conquered your opponent, it’s a feeling like no other. So we twitter.

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