Well, dear readers, once, maybe twice on every book subsequent to the Kritzer trilogy, the runner stumbles. I’ve been writing at a steady clip since January 1 and have done 127 manuscript pages, which puts me almost to the halfway point (about twenty more pages to reach that point). I woke up early yesterday, futzed and fixed, and then printed out the new sixty pages I’d done in the last week. But I’d been feeling very at sea for the last two days – not because I wasn’t pleased with the writing but something was bugging me and I couldn’t quite put my finger on it other than it had to do with the number of characters involved in the actual case being worked on. In any event, I delivered the pages to Muse Margaret, did some errands and whatnot, did some shipping, and then came home and began new pages. I did about seven of them and enjoyed the character who was being introduced. Then I had a late lunch, then came back and did another page, after which I watched more of the motion picture whose soundtrack is our next CD release. Then my friend from Connecticut stopped by for a visit. We were chatting away when Muse Margaret called. She told me a couple of things she’d enjoyed, and then had some minor thing for me to adjust, things that didn’t feel right to her. I made a couple of those adjustments while we were on the phone, and that was that. Then my friend and I chatted some more but my mind was on the telephonic conversation and I knew something wasn’t right. So, I cut short the visit and after my friend had left I called Muse Margaret back. I said that I knew her well enough to know that something was bugging her about these pages. She’d loved the first sixty. As has happened many times, when this happens she’s not always articulate about what’s bugging her and the only way to get to the root of it is to talk. Just prior to calling her, I sat and tried to tie what I thought she might be feeling to what I’ve been feeling. And that’s what I asked her – was it too many characters, too many names to keep track of and that was exactly it. She was starting to zone out, even though Adriana had only actually met four people. I don’t want to go into details obviously, but I asked what if we simply reduced the number by half – and that was exactly what she thought would help. She definitely likes the plot and the characters, and as we talked through things regarding these sixty pages, she was quite effusive about what she liked and what she absolutely wanted to stay. I heard loud and clear what wasn’t working and what she wanted to see more of – and she was absolutely right. It’s not always easy to have clarity and fresh eyes, especially her fresh eyes, are what is needed. The most interesting thing about this process is that the fixes end up being significant and yet very minor – cutting a little here, adding a little there, all in the name of clarity and detail. I spent the next two hours rewriting and cutting and adding. Reducing the number of characters enabled me to cut four full pages out of the sixty, but I added back two with some additional stuff. I knew as I was doing it it was absolutely right. After, I called Muse Margaret back and thanked her, and then read her four or five of the little additions and she was really happy with them and, for her, was exactly what was needed. Again, this has happened on the last seven books in one way or another. It’s nerve-wracking when it happens, but it gets my head back where it needs to be. And all of what happened will inform the rest of the book – I know what pitfalls to look out for – it doesn’t mean I may not have some, but I’ll be on the watch. The plan is for me to go ahead and do the next sixty pages, which will bring me to the final third of the book. I’ll deliver those to her next Thursday or Friday along with the last sixty pages with all their changes. That way, she’ll get a good run, see if there’s anything else that needs adjusting and making sure the new pages are working.
After I finished that, I finished the motion picture, which I wish I could talk about but can’t until after we announce. And now it is way after midnight and time for these here notes to be posted.
Well, why don’t we all click on the Unseemly Button below because while the runner had momentary stumbled he is back on his feet and going apace.
Today, I shall write more pages. I’m halfway through a chapter now, but I’m going back to redo the beginning because I want to precede the sequence I’m in with a phone call. That should go fairly quickly. I’ll try to do six to eight pages and I’m still going to go back and make sure I’ve done all I want to do on the previous sixty pages – although when I read through it I was very pleased. After that, I have errands and whatnot, and hopefully a package or three to pick up and hopefully an important envelope, too. Then I think I’m having dinner.
Tomorrow, I have to work with the interim helper because she has to create the postage labels for A Dry White Season, which will probably be here by Tuesday or Wednesday. Then I’ll be going to see David Wechter’s son Daniel in Bye Bye Birdie, which I’m very much looking forward to. Sunday is, I believe, a day in which I will just write, organize the Sherman Brothers music, assign the songs, and make the CDRs so the singers can get them on Monday.
Well, dear readers, I must take the day, I must do the things I do, I must, for example, write, do errands and whatnot, hopefully pick up packages and an important envelope, and then most likely have an early supper. Today’s topic of discussion: It’s Friday – what is currently in your CD player and your DVD/video player? I’ll start – CD, various and sundried upcoming Kritzerland projects. Blu and Ray, several films by such luminaries as Melville, Kurosawa, and Bergman, as well as The Social Network and Robinson Crusoe on Mars. Your turn. Let’s have loads of lovely postings, shall we, whilst the runner will hopefully stumble no more and stay on sure footing.