So, this morning's (the morning after the night before) check-in shall be modest as we move nearly as fast to the end of Round 3 (only 14 days left!).
Weds Check in Round 3, Week 10:
WRITING: Goals: Write wrap-around materials for Rivers of Stone. Complete revisions. Prioritize writing projects (Prequel + Memoir). PROGRESS: Drafted back of the book copy. All else set aside for revision of the final chapter (more about that below).
BLOGGING. Blogging: Post in Writing blog x1 and ROW80 blog x2/each week. Read other writers x6. Post monthly for the Insecure Writer's Study Group. PROGRESS: Posting ROW80 today. So far, read 2. IWSG post due later today!
READING: Read 15 books a month. Review 2 books each month. PROGRESS: A little slow here, but finished 3 books and am rigorously deleting books off my Kindle (187 books is just too many). Have 14 on the 'must read' list.
MARKETING: Work on release of Rivers of Stone. Work on marketing 3 hours each week. PROGRESS: Actually feeling pretty good about this. Reading, reviewing, making lists. So far this week, about 4-5 hours.
OTHER: Write 2 articles a month. Continuing: Support Spokane Authors & Self-Publishers with publicity. Also continuing: Declutter! Everywhere! Personal: Quilt, exercise, maintain healthy blood level/diet. PROGRESS: Other than decluttering e-mail and sewing doll clothes for the grands, and being reasonably focused re diet and exercise, this goal is a back-grounder.
NOW TO THE REAL STORY about what I've been working on this week, or what some might call the rest of the story. I've talked about this a little here. That last chapter. My group had some comments, but not until I gave a copy to my live-in brilliant editor DH did I begin to "see" how to "re-vision" the last chapter.
His advice? To think about the chapter from THE POINT OF VIEW CHARACTER, what she wants and how she's feeling. My main character is strong, the actor rather than being acted upon. Even the revisions I'm working on can show you what this means.
OLD VERSION: "You must be Mrs. McDonnell," said Mr. Clark. "And a fine morning it is. Welcome to Oregon City. I'll get your husband for you. Just wait here." The tall, portly man gave her a lingering glance that made Cat wonder what Dougal had said about her.
Once again, Cat found herself pacing nervously in the Mercantile, her skirts rustling as she walked around the smalls tore. Had she come too early? Maybe she should have waited until later in the day. Or changed her mind entirely. What would she say to him She raised her chin. I'm here to say goodbye.
REVISED SO FAR WITH MORE TO COME: Cat dashed across the street in front of a team of horses. She shook her skirts out before entering Clark’s Mercantile and pursed her lips. Dougal has some explaining to do, she thought. And this time, he’s going to tell me everything.
Inside, she spotted Mr. Clark bent over a large accounting ledger. “Mr. Clark, I’d like to see Mr. McDonnell.”
“Good morning, Mrs. McDonnell,” said Mr. Clark. “And a fine morning it is. Welcome to Oregon City. I’ll get your husband for you. Just wait here.” The tall, portly man nodded and scooted out the back door of the shop.
Cat paced back and forth. She didn’t like waiting, and she didn’t like being in the closed-in store. How could he stand it after being on the trail? She raised her chin. That doesn’t matter. I’m here for answers. And if he can’t satisfy me, I will say goodbye. She turned back to the counter just as Dougal entered.
Yay for being on the last chapter! And that revised version definitely packs more punch.
ReplyDeleteI...should probably not tell you how many books I have on my kindle right now. I'm sure more than 187(and I've had a lot more at one time). I have gotten more choosy about what I keep reading and what I set aside, though. There are just so many books!
Yep, I'm getting more choosy too, but I learn what to avoid when a book that caught my eye on first look doesn't grab me again with Chapter 2. Maybe that's a positive, but I still have way too many books to-be-read. Thanks for visiting, Fallon.
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