I thought I should let y’all know I haven’t died. It’s been a week since I blogged which is a long time for me. Here’s the thing. I’ve been working on Book Two. And doing other things. Other things in the life of a writer are also known as writing distractions.

Distractions come is all sorts of packaging with a variety of labels. Like wasting time on Facebook. Watching The Voice. Enjoying a long lunch at a restaurant instead of eating a quick sandwich at home. I’m not knocking distractions. I think giving the mind a break can be a productive and inspirational thing. But, recognizing distractions is important, too, especially if you ever plan to finish that book.

You know?

Writing:

Regarding Book Two, I have a completed draft, so yay! Some say finishing a draft is the hardest part. I agree. But once the draft is finished, editing becomes the hardest part. It’s easy to make excuses, put it off, find a million things to do other than see a manuscript to the end.

Editing is hard work and fun. This is the part that takes the story to the next level. The writer fills in gaps and holes, develops character, makes the narrative flow with ease. To all you authors, I highly recommend hiring a professional editor before submitting to a publisher. Editing is much more than grammar and spelling.

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