Revision Hurdles – Part 1

If you’ve written the rough draft of your novel, the creative part is done, right? Not exactly. When my guinea pigs, er, family members, read the rough draft and gave feedback, which I needed and welcomed, I kept a list of items that needed work, but the list soon

A Dose of Reality

You know how we writers spend much of our time alone at the computer, where it’s comfortable? In July, for the first time ever, I stepped out of my comfort zone to pitch my novel at the Pacific Northwest Writers Association conference.

Not an Ordinary Forest

On Sunday after church we went for a walk in the forest. Not just any forest. A forest in Kitsap County where Godspell was playing.

Second Hurdle – the Rough Draft

In May of last year I resumed writing my first novel, the one I started three years ago. My immediate mission—to expand my newly-created outline into prose. I typed quickly, trying to let the creative side of my brain do its work. But as the pages accumulated, things happened that weren’t in the outline.

First Hurdles

Three years ago, I started writing a novel. Although I had no idea where the story was going, dozens of pages filled up with characters who seemed to be having a great time. At the end of chapter seven, I came to an obstruction—I was bored.