Hey guys, welcome back! Hope everyone is doing great out there and enjoying their Summers. We just picked our first pumpkins today! Yes, I know, it’s very early…don’t care. Last year, we put out some pumpkins for our critter friends and a horrible overgrown tree grew over them. When they cut the tree down, an accidental pumpkin patch emerged and lo and behold, on August 18th, the first ones were ready to pick! As someone who would live in Fall year round? This was the perfect way to start the week.

Anywhoo…let’s get to it shall we?

Over the past week, I’ve done almost no writing. Instead, I’ve been doing a complete reread of my manuscript to make sure that it flows, the tone is consistent and the story holds up. What’s so great about doing these rereads (something I highly recommend doing if you are writing a book) is that because it’s been months since I’ve started it, reading the early chapters again is like reading the book for the first time. There is so much that I don’t remember writing. Not so much the story of course, that will always be at the top of my mind. But rather little one liners and character traits I threw in there early. Little tidbits of information and backstory that I had to constantly make notes of to go back to in these now later chapters that I’m in. What was a great surprise to me is that, as I read this as a new reader, I laughed, I cried, I was pretty proud of myself throughout the entire thing. Sure, some parts made me cringe and called for rewrites…again, this is why you do this! Overall though, I think it’s going ok.

I’ve mentioned before in an earlier post that I have found myself in a genre problem. I started this book with the full intention of it being a romcom. I love me a good romantic comedy, (thank you Nora Ephron for my early inspiration) and have wanted to write one of my own for some time. For the most part, that’s what this novel truly is. The issue comes into a deeper plot point that is a bit darker and deals with issues that could be trigger sensitive to some. And no, I’m not talking ‘dark romance’ stuff, that’s not my deal. At least, not this book.

When I decided to read this again from start to (almost) finish, I wanted to see if the story would still hold. Would it be that obvious where the two don’t mesh together? Would it not work as a complete story? Would it be a noticeable jump from comedy to drama? I’m both happy and confused to say that I never saw where the jump happens. It flowed well, worked out seamlessly and it can be kept as it is, unless I decide to completely rewrite the darker chapters and come up with an entirely different storyline. I’ve been literally losing sleep about this. I happen to like what I wrote a lot. But it takes what was once a fully romantic comedy and changes the genre to what? I don’t know. ‘Contemporary Romance’ maybe? Or the oh so dreaded general ‘Women’s fiction?’ (I will forever hate that ‘genre’.)

I am so confused by all of this I don’t know where to go with it.

What has been great about doing all of this is getting thoroughly reacquainted with the characters. From start to finish. Reminding myself of their quirks, their humor, their affection for one another across all of the relationships and of course, the support they have during some life challenges that come their way.

Writing this in the first person has been fun. Reading it this way has also blurred the lines sometimes between ‘was it something I read or did that actually happen to me?” Not that the story is me by any means, but you get it, right? You get so involved with a story, whether a book or a series, etc and a week or two later you can’t remember if it was real, a dream or hey that actually happened! Every night after reading a few chapters, it took me a while to shake out of that feeling. I’ve already been dealing with this on the nights that I’m writing because again, I’m writing it as the character. Basically, it’s been an odd journey this time around. I didn’t write my first book this way and this is all new territory for me. I feel though that by doing this, I’ve created more depth and more feeling to the main character and I really hope that comes across to other readers  as well. I want her story to be one that is not only one that you cheer for, but also one that is relatable, as well as one that you can feel for deeply during her darkest moments. She is truly a character I’m proud of and have loved writing her so much.

I just wish I could find that special sign that would come to me that says, yes! Keep it this way! Keep all of it! Or on the flip side…trash it. Rewrite it. Forget that you even went that way, what the hell were you thinking? But so far, no magical symbol has come my way to sway me either way. It works as it is and maybe this isn’t the book that should be my total foray into a complete romcom experience.

In the meantime, my ulcer grows, my story keeps going and the editing continues. I will say this, the closer I’m getting to wrapping up this book, (and seriously considering writing a sequel to it to keep the characters going), I’m also looking into querying agents. I had thought about going the self publishing route, but I’m immensely excited about this book and would like to see it in much more professional hands. Right now, I need to completely finish this manuscript and stop thinking of ways to keep the story going! Every time I think I can find a way to end it, I think of something else. I just don’t want to say goodbye to these people yet. So my ending has to be something that will be good for everyone. Myself, my characters and of course, my readers.

And that is where I leave you for today! I hope you’ve gotten something out of this post and I thank you so much for following along with my continued writing journey. I think if I had blogged during the writing of my first book, I’d be much further along with getting that one out to the public, instead of having put it aside in edits to write this new one. Procrastination is the curse of the writer and I have it in spades. 🤦🏼‍♀️

Until next time…cheers!

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