If it at first you don’t succeed…

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Hello, Write Edge readers! I’m kind of laughing a little to myself at this week’s blog post title, because I’ve now restarted the first story in my new collection five times. Five! I don’t think I’ve ever done that before, so I guess I can say I’ve hit a new personal record.

Last weekend I was talking to my two best friends from college in our monthly phone call, and I told them that I’ve learned that what I’ve heard seasoned authors say is totally true: every time you start a new book project, it’s like learning to write all over again. Every single story has its own shape and pace. Every single one has its own methodology. The problem is that you don’t know what any of that is until you start writing. Or restart. Or rewrite. Or…something. 😀

I’m not discouraged by having to start over so many times; I think part of this process was also me trying to figure out for myself just what the story was. I believe I’ve got it now, and it surprised even me when I came up with it while doing the dishes, following Agatha Christie’s famous advice. But it made me stop, water streaming, mouth dropped open slightly, and then grin, so I know I’m on the right track.

Let’s hope #5 is the lucky one!

I got 529 words done on it today, and I hope this week will finally be one where I can record a full 2500 (or maybe more) within the same draft. What will I do with those others? No idea yet. They’re all very specific to this story, so I can’t exactly use the material anywhere else, but I’m loathe to delete any old writing. Maybe I’ll keep you all posted on that too.

In any case, it’s a full week here on The Write Edge with a book review coming this Wednesday after my #bookreviewpreview on Instagram tomorrow. I also get to do a book event this weekend at one of our area libraries, which are just about the coolest places on Earth. Can’t wait for that!

Have a great night, readers, and I hope you take this little reporting of my writing as your own Monday Motivation. Don’t give up until you’ve got your story on the page. You can do this!

E.R.G.

This entry was posted in Creative writing.

Book review now up!

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Hello, Write Edge readers! Yesterday on Instagram I shared in my #bookreviewpreview that I would examine the new women’s fiction release Once and Again by Rebecca Serle in my review today. Here’s the opening to my post:

A woman with a unique gift finds herself facing a life-changing decision, literally. As she wrestles with what to do and memories of the past, she must also contend with her responsibility to her family and what it means to put herself first. Author Rebecca Serle returns with a plot that tries too hard to do and be everything all at once and ultimately doesn’t succeed in nearly any of those endeavors in her newest novel Once and Again.

Read the whole review now on The Write Edge Bookshelf!

Have a great night, readers, and for those in the Northern Hemisphere, stay warm and dry!

E.R.G.

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