Day: September 3, 2021

I’m heading into a 24 day novel revision. That equates to 5 chapters every six days. That equates to one day for layout for the week and 1 chapter a day in addition to the 4 layout days. This means no days off, which is new, because I am becoming accustomed to taking Saturday’s off. I suppose I could entirely eliminate that planning and review day and still have my Saturday cheat day. What really matters is that I am deep into a revision, which is a fairly new process for me. I tend to put out drafts that aren’t heavily revised post writing. It’s always been a bit of a bad look on my part, so this new way is the cool way. Moreover, I feel very strongly that I can improve this novel immensely by simply sitting down and thinking through the mistakes I’ve made throughout and fixing them until this is not only a coherent story, but one that fields a great deal of emotional understanding that the reader will be able to connect with.

This story did not initially come from the heart. I was telling an adventure tale that hit all the notes of high and raucous adventure but failed in its basic responsibility to tell a story that mattered. The core of it is there, and now it is my responsibility to crack that core open and spill feelings into it.

Storytelling can be very reflective. I am in a place emotionally where I feel I have a lot to work with when it comes to understanding the dynamics of family and of partnerships. This story should be a reflection of that, and of loss, and it also should have quite a bit more mystery than it presently is working with. So, that is the next big step. I need to get all three into the manuscript and I need to help the reader get to know how these characters are feeling.

Long night. The nights the boys play football are going to be long, because I need to pick them up post game and that usually isn’t until around 11pm. It is a day that usually begins around 6 am, so I am awake and active for an extremely long time. I am tired and I’m still not at the point where I can pick up the boys. That will be in a few minutes, so there’s that. It means another trip out and another opportunity to face the demons of the car accident. I feel incredibly fortunate to be healthy and alive and able to purchase another vehicle. Many people don’t have my situation. That situation is emotionally ruined at this point in my life, but I still feel lucky to have experienced all that I have thus far.

Hey, maybe the rest works out too.