Playing Cards

All of the scenes from HM are now on index cards. I finished transferring from the manuscript to the cards over the weekend. It's interesting how the book changes when I move one or two cards around. I find it less intimidating to experiment with the cards than to cut and paste the actual manuscript.

It's also easier to play with new scenes. Write a few sentences to give an idea of what the scene will be and put the card in the mix. Then read through the cards. Does it feel like something's missing? Or that there's too much about a particular suspect/lead? Throw another one in or throw one out. Repeat.

The danger, I suspect, is getting too caught up in the shuffling process. As I said, it's easier to play with the cards. Eventually, though, the time comes to start the revisions themselves.

I believe I've reached that time. I have been invited to submit to Creek Writer's Council. I'll be submitting at the end of June. I want to have the revisions completed before I receive my critiques in July.

One more run through the cards. Then the rewrites begin in earnest.

Wish me luck.

Reading One's Own Work

It was an interesting exercise going back and reading HM after so long. There was a lot of it I'd forgotten. I think the pleasant surprises outweighed the cringes. In both cases I felt that moment of "Did I write that?" It is a strange experience.

I tried to read it without marking it, but could not help myself. I did keep the comments to a minimum. "More here" seemed to be the most used. I also made note where I wanted to move things or add things.

Deb uses index cards to write scenes on. Then she can easily move them around. I may try that. It seems less daunting then trying to keep track in the document itself.

I'm excited about HM again. I find myself thinking of things to add or how to fix a scene that isn't working.

It's a good feeling.