Basting

Elizabeth Lyon’s book, Manuscript Makeover, is like a favorite cookbook. It will help you make something decent with the ingredients you have on hand, and if you want more of a gourmet meal, you’ve got shopping lists and easy-to- understand directions for new techniques.

I absolutely love editing. Adding, removing. Creating, completing. There’s a basic domesticity to it.

Today I realized I needed to remove the five section headers in my book. They just aren’t needed anymore. Taking them out made me think of removing the basting stitches in a sewing project, something you can only do when you’re confident your work will hold together on its own.

There’s still a LOT of work to do on the novel, much of which is like the other type of basting, the careful pouring on of broth to make sure meat stays moist.  Because editing is so much fun, I have to be careful not to overdo it. Opening the oven door too much makes the cooking time longer and also leads, quite often, to something dry.

Next week:

1) Write some new scenes.

2) Baste them into the draft.

Changes

So, I did it. I’m posting in a week rather than three years. And, I read my book, making edits along the way, making lots of notes. I expected the story would need major changes, but it’s pretty solid. It needs updating in places, because so many little things have changed over the years. (Does anyone under forty even own an answering machine anymore?) It needs gentle re-crafting here and there, strengthened scenes, better word choices, and determined use of the delete key. But, mostly, the changes need to happen in me. I need faith.

The plan for this week:

1) Re-read the comments from a fellow writer who read the manuscript seven years ago.

2) Study Elizabeth Lyon’s book Manuscript Makeover .

3) Make some changes.

Chutes & Ladders

My life is a game of Chutes & Ladders, and I’ve just fallen from square #62 to square #19. It’s over a year since I lost my job. Sixty-eight applications, sixteen interviews, fifty-seven years old. Climbing up, sliding down.

I want a new game. Looking at the list of Amazon’s bestsellers I do not recognize the names of the first 13 on a list of 100. (How did I get so out of touch!) But I like the sounds of this one: Ticket to Ride.

The goal of Ticket to Ride is to visit as many cities in North America as you can in seven days. As fun and exciting as that would be to do, I have no money, and Unemployment restricts me from being out of the area for three days. I need another 7-day challenge.

In my files I have an 18-year old novel in need of a major overhaul. By this time next week, I challenge myself to:

1) Read the whole thing without too much cringing and self-flagellation.

2) Make a revision plan.

3) Edit at least 30 pages.