A Gigantic Ice Cream Parlor

Think of life as a gigantic ice cream parlor, with infinite flavors to taste ~ Karen Salmansohn

Don't you just hate change?  I sure do. My friends and family, especially my husband, will tell you I am the worst when it comes to change.

What I hate about myself even more is that sometimes the ideas I most resistant to, end up being the best for me.  When I was a trainer, whenever I heard about a new activity, game, or method, and I didn't like it, I wouldn't do it.  Then, eventually, I either saw someone do the activity or I tried it myself, and voile, I love it.  Why I oughtta...

The same thing happens in my quest to be a consistent writer. I've mastered the writing everyday or write consistently goal. Check. Self-editing, polishing, making it better?  Not so much. I am so stubborn I expect the words to be there that I read what I mean, rarely what I see on the page or screen.  I don't know if that is hubris or just a flaw, but it gets the best of me sometimes.

Slowly and surely I'm getting there.  I found a daytime critique group that matches my schedule. In the short time I've been working with them, I've learned so much. My writing and self editing has improved.  And recently I read a tip about drafts. The tip was about rewriting/retyping draft.

For me, a draft meant reading through the manuscript, making the corrections I found, then reloading the draft on my iPad and starting the process over again.  When I read that, all i could think of is that some days it takes a miracle just to sit down and get the writing goal done in addition to retyping an entire manuscript that already took months to write in the first place.

But after some comments about self-editing from my group, I sat down and started retyping my next submission. I cannot believe the difference in my writing.  All of the sudden, as I was reading the words from my iPad and retyping, many of the issues pointed out by other people were clear to me:  repeated words and phrases, punctuation, awkward sections.  I couldn't believe it.

I've now adopted a new writing editing schedule that includes two complete retypes of the entire manuscript.  I will be implementing it as I start my next novel, The Higher Law.

So the moral of the story is, don't learn the hard way like I always do.  Be open to new ideas, especially by people who have been down your path before. 

What have new technique or activity have you tried lately that really helped you in your dream journey? I'd love to hear!

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Is it possible for two Civil War veterans to find their place in the world on the Kansas Prairie?
 
When the War Between the States ended in 1865 many Americans emerged from the turmoil energized by their possibilities for the future. Frank Greerson and Gregory Young were no different. After battling southern rebels and preserving the Union, the two men set out to battle the Kansas Prairie and build a life together. Frank yearned for his own farm, away from his family—even at the risk of alienating them. Gregory, an only child, returned home to claim his inheritance to help finance their adventure out west.

Between the difficult work of establishing a farm on the unforgiving Kansas prairie, and the additional obstacles provided by the weather, Native Americans and wild animals, will their love and loyalty be enough to sustain them through the hardships?

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