On Writing & Storytelling: Despite a Change of Plans, ‘Hump Day’ Was Productive

Late Evening, Wednesday, July 26, 2023, Lithia, Florida

Hi, again, Dear Reader. It’s just after sunset here in the Tampa Bay area as I begin this post. Even though the sky is getting dark, it’s still hot outside; the temperature is “only” 81°F/27°C under mostly cloudy skies, but since we had no rain – at least, none that I know of – and it was a scorching hot afternoon, the “feels like” temperature is 100°F/37°C!

In my old life in South Florida, this was the time when I’d go out for walks, especially between 2010 and 2015 and even up till April 2016. In summer, of course, we had days like this, too. But I was younger and still had a set routine that included moderate exercise.

Nowadays, I am reluctant to venture outside, even though I can if I so desire. If it weren’t so hot, I would put on some walking shoes and go for a stroll, but (a) it is hot, and (b) I don’t feel particularly keen on going outside, especially since this is when mosquitoes tend to be more active. So…I’ll just stay inside. Much safer and far more comfortable, to be honest.

A Brief Writer’s Update on ‘Reunion: Coda’

Today was a workday for me, and I spent several hours working on the manuscript for Reunion: Coda. To my surprise, I did not follow my plan for the day as described in On Writing & Storytelling: Today on the ‘Reunion: Coda’ Agenda…Switching a Scene from Script to Novel. Instead, I checked on the Google Drive document where my Beta Reader and I go over sections of the manuscript, exchange comments, and she lets me know if there are bits that need to be edited or otherwise improved.  

As it turns out, though most of the chapter my Beta Reader looked over was okay, there were a few sections that needed improvement. There was one part of a chapter that was long and repetitive, so I followed my friend’s recommendation to shorten it a bit and move the action forward a bit. I gladly did so. There were also a few instances of misplaced punctuation marks, redundant attributions in dialogue, and a couple of other “cosmetic” flaws that needed to be fixed. They were fixed.

Overall, though, my Beta Reader thinks the story is good so far. That makes me happy, and the feedback I’m getting truly is helping me with the writing of this, my first novel.

As for the “From Script to Novel” revisions, I will tackle them tomorrow. I’m not usually at my best when I write at night unless I’m already on a creative tear, and that’s not the case tonight.

So, until next time, Dear Reader, stay safe, stay healthy, and I’ll catch you on the sunny side of things.