Hey guys, welcome back and welcome to November! I am still in shock that it is already nearing the end of the year as in my mind, it’s still September. However, I love this time of the year and have been slowly transitioning from the Fall/Halloween decorations to the holiday stuff. Some may say it’s too early and I really do not care. If it makes you happy, you do it. And seeing our place decked out in thousands of lights always makes me happy.

Anywhoo, let’s get on with it shall we?

First off, hope everyone had a lot of fun and had some trick or treaters over Halloween. We had none, yet we bought enough candy for the entire city. (We like to be prepared.) I am one for traditions and do the same things every year. The only one I really flaked on though was my annual screening of the original Halloween. I like to make a game (used to be a drinking game but, meds) out of how many times PJ Soles says ‘totally.’ Trust me, it’s a lot and you can get one hell of a buzz off doing it. This year, I wasn’t feeling the movie though. I watched the first twenty minutes and went back to Big Bang reruns. Halloween was always huge with me. Loved dressing up, going to parties, going to our favorite bars and man, did my group of friends know how to do it up right! Miss those days, but that’s ok. I still celebrate in my own way and it is all a part of the best time of the year: Sept. 1st- Dec. 31st. Now, I’m looking forward to this month, thanksgiving, my birthday and letting the holiday season seep into my very soul…it’s what makes me, me.

So enough of that stuff, what about the book? Well, I’m stuck. Like super stuck. I’m in yet another read through, proud to say I’ve now hit the 10,000 word mark of words cut and still have hundreds of thousands left to go. I’m noticing something different this time around though and if you’ll indulge me a little, I need to get it out here and see if the thought still holds true…

I’m thinking a big rewrite may be in order. There, I said it.

The more I’m re-reading this manuscript, the more I’m finding an underlying storyline that I didn’t see before. Again, I’d very much like this to be a series and this is of course, the origin story. But I’ve been noticing that there are things I wrote that have been swept under the rug and could be crucial character traits for later on.

I’m also finding it impossible to figure out where the major cuts have to come from. I’ve said several times that to me, the way it is written now is exactly how I want it to read. But it is so long. Like, so, so long. I’ve been trying to also figure out if I can just cut what I have into several books. I mean, the word count is certainly there for a multiple book series as it is now. However, if I cut it up that way, it won’t make sense.  Ok, so next is mixing and matching chapters to reel it in better, but then the flow is lost. If I do a rewrite, I will be able to keep some of what’s there now, introduce more from the side characters and create more depth to the story earlier than what is presented in the draft I already have done.

Another thing I keep going back and forth on is the heavier storyline. This book is half romcom-half serious story with a message. If I keep the romcom aspects with the rewrite, yes, it would be an entire romantic comedy book. I could make the serious storyline a whole separate book but then there goes the FMC’s backstory. I’d also like to be able to use this platform as a way to get the more serious story out there. To prove that survival can happen. That you can in fact, not only move on from a dark past but also start a whole new life on your own terms. Up until this latest read through, I thought I did a damned good job of getting that message out there. Again, it is just a very LONG message. And just how bad do I want the heavier past to be?

If you understood any of that? Way to go! Imagine this going round and round in my head 24/7 even while I’m sleeping. This is life now. Well, this and reading…and watching Hamilton on repeat.

My goal was to have the first draft done by Christmas. I was hoping upon hope that with the new year, I’d have something to submit. Now here it is, November and I may have to rewrite this whole thing. Can I still meet the goal? I guess we’ll have to see! This my friends is what keeps me going. The utter insanity of trying to get a book done by the end of the year, while sick, while trying to get through my TBR list of books and while on meds that some nights? Have me reading the same paragraphs over and over again. I say, place your bets now to see if I can do this. (Hint: I’m damned determined to do this!)

And that is where I am leaving you for today. A crazed ramble of thoughts, more than I usually do, as my brain turns to mush while I read the same story on a loop. I think this time though? I’ve hit the nail on the head of what needs to be done. To pull from what is already written and turn it into the book that I KNOW is inside of me. To do the rewrite and make it something so much better than what I already have done. 

And if you’ve been following along with this? Please know, that I think you are awesome and I thank you for being there. Having a platform to work out my issues has been more than therapeutic. It has kept me focused and more than driven than ever to get this done.

Until next time, I wish you all a happy new month and may there be lots of awesome opportunities coming to you over these next weeks! Cheers guys!!

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If you’d like to follow me on social, including my #booktok, you can find my links: linktr.ee/promosocially

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Want to start your holiday shopping? Hit my links around the site! I have lots of shops, many with designs my me on thousands of items that would make great gifts, home decor and ways to treat yourself. You can also hit this: linktr.ee/stuffwemade to find shop links.

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I have lots of fall and holiday themed books listed in my on the bookshelf pages here on the site! Be sure to see the menu bar for my other pages and get yourself some seasonal reads!

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If you’ve made it this far, I can’t thank you enough. Just, thank you. See you soon! 🍁