With less than three weeks till Thanksgiving, cool weather finally made it to the Gulf Coast. I often kidded my mother in her last years as she became enamored with the weather channel on television and now I'm following in her footsteps. Those of you in the farther reaches north would have cracked up last Sunday when everyone was decked out in wool and heavy coats, scarves and gloves for church. It was a chilly 60 so what do you expect?
Somerset Maugham is often quoted as saying there are three rules for writing a novel but unfortunately no one knows what they are. He was most certainly right. I have read and read and re-read on the process of first writing a novel and second revising it, and every writer seems to have their own take on it. Of one thing I'm now sure - there is no right or wrong way to go about this. And, for sure, if you don't write something, you have nothing to revise. How's that for wisdom?
In challenging every word I've written in AFDOC, I am constantly amazed how the addition, deletion, or change of only one word can make all the difference in clarity and purpose. I spent last week arranging and arranging words again, working carefully to see how many words I could eliminate and maintain the integrity of the scenes. Efficient use of words is so important in helping the reader to go with the author as we take them through our novel ride.
This novel has already been worth the ride for me and I hope it will be worth the trip for my readers, Here is another tidbit to whet your appetite {got Thanksgiving on my mind.}
Caroline continues to mature and gets the honor of helping her aunts forage for pigpen stainless while stumbling on a few facts of life.
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