Mid- to Late Morning, Tuesday, April 30, 2024, Madison, New Hampshire
Greetings, all.
It’s a gray, chilly, and damp spring day here in Carroll County, New Hampshire. Currently, the temperature is 50°F (10°C) under cloudy skies. With humidity at 48% and the wind blowing from the north at 4 MPH (7 Km/H), the feels-like temperature is 54°F (12°C). Today’s forecast calls for scattered light rain showers throughout the day. The high will be 55°F. Tonight, we can expect scattered rain showers. The low will be 42°F (6°C).
On Writing & Storytelling: When in Doubt – Edit
“I’ve found the best way to revise your own work is to pretend that somebody else wrote it and then to rip the living shit out of it.” ― Don Roff
Yesterday – if you haven’t guessed yet – I devoted several hours to the task of reading and editing Scene Five of Reunion: Coda’s fifteenth chapter.
I would, of course, have preferred to write what we writers call “fresh copy” to move the story forward – and closer to completion. That was my intention when I returned to my desk after my lunch and “mental health break,” but when I saw the scene with fresh eyes, I noticed a few, er, problematic bits.[1]
Most writers will tell you, “Write your first draft in one go, then, when it’s done, go back and edit what you’ve written.” I know from reading On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft, that that’s how Stephen King works. So do many others. In many instances – especially in those where an author has signed with a major publisher – a professional editor is also involved in the writing of a book and helps shape the manuscript into a finished book.
“When you write a book, you spend day after day scanning and identifying the trees. When you’re done, you have to step back and look at the forest.” ― Stephen King, On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft
If you’re a regular reader of this blog and have been following Reunion: Coda’s progress from the day I announced that I was working on a follow-up to Reunion: A Story, you know I’m not wired that way. I am notorious for editing stuff – whether it’s a blog post, a social media post, or a novel – as I go along. I sweat blood every time I write a sentence, and I agonize over every line of dialogue and sensory detail that I add to the story.
And, of course, my energy levels and concentration skills usually determine whether I’ll add “new copy” or revise existing material. If I’m well-rested and clear-headed when I begin a working session, the chances that I’ll write all-new stuff are better than not. I tend to be more creative when I’m in what I call my “Jedi Padawan” mindset – when I am calm, at peace, and (most importantly) energetic.
That’s not to say that I’m practically lethargic on the days that I sit down in my office, look at the Word document file with the Reunion: Coda manuscript, and decide, “Okay, today I’ll edit.” Reading, revising, and rewriting also require mental and physical stamina –only just a bit less than pulling out of the ether those concrete details, story beats, and lines of dialogue that together make up a narrative, regardless of whether it’s a screenplay, short story, novella, or (in this instance) a novel.
I spent a couple of hours poring over Chapter 15, mostly on the aforementioned Scene Five, but also on the other four scenes that include Jim and Maddie’s first steamy moment. I made a few nips and tucks there, but only minor “cosmetic” ones because – in my opinion – the material there was sound.[2]
Action This Day
I hope, Dear Readers, that when I return to work this afternoon I’ll be able to write something new and advance the story closer to its conclusion. I plan to publish Reunion: Coda no later than August 2024 (though if I can do so before July I’ll be ecstatic), and even though I don’t “do” outlines (I’m a “seat of the pants” writer and make the story up as I go along…mostly), I do sense that I’m nearing the climax of the novel.
To get to the point where I can type “The End” on the last page of the novel, I must write all-new material. It could be a new scene. It could be a new chapter. That part isn’t important. But moving the story forward is. That’s an imperative – no ifs or buts about it. Naturally, my aspirations for today are simple: to start the day’s work rested, full of energy, and with a “Can Do” attitude. And if I do things right between now and then, I will carry out my plans.
Before I sign off for today, I have some good news to share with you. Reunion: A Story, the first book in the series, is still free as a Kindle e-book until tomorrow. If you haven’t read it yet, or if you want to recommend it to a friend, now is the perfect time to grab a copy. You can use the Amazon Preview widget that you’ll see at the foot of this blog page. It will take you directly to the Amazon store of your choice, where you can download the e-book for free. Don’t miss this opportunity to enjoy a thrilling and emotional story of love, loss, and reflection.
That’s all for today, Dear Readers. Thank you for your continued support and encouragement. I hope you are all staying safe and healthy during these challenging times. Until next time, happy reading!
[1] But…I missed one section where, in my haste to make edits, I had accidentally duplicated a segment that I’d corrected during that revise-and-edit session. If my friend Juan Carlos Hernandez hadn’t caught it when I showed him (via email) the scene, there’s a good chance I might not have seen that slip-up until I published Reunion: Coda. (At best, I might have caught it in the Kindle Create app during the final stages of pre-publication. I’m glad Juan caught it first, though. Less angst in my future that way.)
[2] I still haven’t heard what my Beta Reader has to say about the copy I’ve added since our last discussion re the manuscript last week.
A Certain Point of View, Too 
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