Reassessing--It's Not Just For Editing

You know how it is. You are rolling merrily along on your story. Words are coming to you faster than you can write them down, your story arc is so compelling, and you are completely in love with your hero. Then you step away for a day, come back to your work and wonder what planet your brain was on when you wrote such drivel.

The same thing is happening to me right now, in real life. I had a contract on the house. The potential buyers showed up on my doorstep right around Christmas asking if I'd like to sell. What a great idea! We began working together, things were clicking, and then the inspector came. And stayed.

Five hours later, the potential buyers backed out of the deal, since the inspector uncovered some things I didn't even know about. My house flunked, was bleeding red ink.

So now it's time to reassess. Decide what to do. As I do with every book I write, when it comes time to edit, I make up a checklist of things to watch out for during my first edit. I need to do the same with the house. My first question when I finish a first draft is--Is this a good idea?

Applying that to the house, I asked myself--Is a move the best idea? Yes, I still believe it is. This house is too big for one person, even with a dog. I no longer can handle the upkeeping chores that need done. I don't have the resources to fix the problems the inspector found.

What should be my next step? With my manuscript, the next step would be to go through it, a scene at a time, and remove the fluff, the repetition, the extra commas. Does the scene accomplish what it needs to? Does it move the plot along? So my next step with the house is to meet with my agent, review the listing, add a disclosure sheet and lower the price. Lowering the price is the right way to move the plot along and get me to new living quarters. Much like  an editor, my agent will tell me what needs modification, and how to make the house appealing. I may not like what I hear from an editor or my agent, but they both have the same agenda--to pound my work, or my house, into the best possible shape so it can be sold. So, I'll swallow my ego and follow their advice. We'll see where it leads.

Stay tuned.

On a professional note, I'm becoming the Bundle Queen. In addition to my bundle of all the Cotillion books, in April one of my books. The Forgotten Debutante, will become part of a new bundle called Love In Wartime. And then, in May, another of my books, Expressly Yours, Samantha, will be included in a bundle called Wild, Wild West. These latest bundles are so new, I don't have links for them yet, but here's a sneak peek at the cover of the Love In Wartime.