Category Archives: writing process

The Query Zone and Hard Things (and what makes them Possible)

So when you’re a writer and you’re in the Query Zone, you have these REALLY HARD things[1] to do, which are not in any particular order, because this is MY blog and I can do things out of order if I so desire. And I do. 1. Put yourself and your story out there. I know...

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Can I love it (and be so done with it at the same time)?

I’m almost through revising. Again. Again. It’s not really something that I do once and POOF! A great book! It’s more like “Okay, so if I look at one more sentence I’ve read a million times, will it somehow restructure itself to be that mystical, magical “fresh voice” that editors and agents everywhere will fall...

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Gratitude Month, Day 29

We’re coming into the home stretch here. I can feel it. I may never be thankful again. Oh, come on. I’m just kidding. But know what? It’s a beautiful day outside. It’s fifty degrees and sunny. It feels like fall, and it IS fall, but usually at this time of year we tend more toward...

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Gratitude Month, Day 28

I’m grateful for a couple of weeks off in the novel-writing department. And I’m really grateful for the comments from my beta readers, which range from “Hey, that was pretty good” to “If you really want to make something of this, you’ve got some work to do[1]” and were all very helpful and much, much...

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Update: Again

Okay, so I’ve done another pass on Fifth Gift. And it’s improving. I think. Another one down. Several more to go. (Remember that I have theories? There’s one that says it’s my job to get the manuscript as clean as I possibly can before I subject anyone else to it. And that’s where I am....

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Dangerous Revisions

Um. Did you know that there’s the possibility of making your story worse through the revision process? I just thought you might need one more thing to be afraid of. But, really? Revision is coming along. I did many pages this morning, and plan to do some more after I take care of a couple...

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Good News: It’s NOT the Worst Book in the World

I’m revising. (Feel my pain here.) Actually it’s not so painful. I already had my requisite period of “Why am I even trying to write a book? This is the worst book ever written.” It happened during the drafting part. And that is awesome, let me tell you. It’s like duct-taping your hindparts into the...

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Going On

Researching (agents and editors. again. forever.) Reading (chaim potok. oh,chaim. i lurrrrve you so.) Walking (kids to bus stops, around blocks, around lakes, around neighborhoods, around farms.) Eating (mostly plants up till dinner time. need to find me a butter plant. coconut oil may replace butter. or not.) Setting Aside (the zero-draft manuscript [fifth gift]...

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