Beard Stubble Season in Ohio

Spring came late to Ohio, so it stands to reason that the fields are only now beginning to sprout with the summer crops of corn and soybeans.

The neatly cultivated fields every spring and summer remind me of beard stubble on a man's face. At least in the early days. And, of course, that reminds me of writing. Romance. Men's faces. You get my drift.

Here's how I see it. A writer gets an idea–a seed, as it were–and begins to plot. A little fertilizer, a bit of water, careful cultivation of the soil, and before long, that writer has a full-blown story. A first draft. Joy and rapture reign.

Until you realize your road to publication, or market if you're an ear of corn, has only begun. You may have a great story, one that stands tall, has multiple plot points, a solid foundation, firm roots. But until the corn gets picked, placed in the produce section, purchased and enjoyed, it's only another product in the field.

Which is why I spend almost as much time on the editing process as I do writing the first draft. I have multiple checklists, different colored highlighters, words to avoid, cliche alerts, etc. I want my product to be as pretty and polished as it can be. When people strip off the casing, I want my ear of corn to have lovely straight rows of kernels, to be eaten quickly and enjoyed, and leave my reader with a great memory.

I think I need to go talk to one of the local farmers.