Friday, January 22, 2021

Writing Some Wrongs

 It’s been a busy week.  Just when I thought I’d have time to get caught up on some household stuff, I got back the editorial notes on WRITING A WRONG.  Luckily my editor Carl was okay with the basic structure.  In any case I’m going through the whole manuscript and making changes on almost every page.  The big thing I’m doing is paying attention to continuity.  Since I know what’s coming, I need earlier parts to match up.

It’s always interesting to me to see things that pop out of the characters as I’m going over the manuscript.  Like I didn’t realize how set in her way Veronica seems, well, and it turns out is.  Luckily, she is pretty self observant and I have added having her notice it.

As reached the end of the draft of this book, I realized how much it was about family and how without family Veronica was.  It’ kind of like I have the characters do and say things, but only later realize what was really going on.

I suppose that people think because you write about characters that you can make them anyway you want, but really what happens is that they kind of take over.

I know that Barry really surprised me in the Crochet Mystery, ONE FOR THE HOOKS, that comes out this summer.   It probably sounds like a surreal movie, but it is as though I am watching and listening to something in my mind’s eye.

Even though I sent back the copy edit of ONE FOR THE HOOKS a few weeks ago, it’s still on my mind as I know I’m going to get the first pass pages to proof read soon.  That is the final time I see the manuscript and can only make minor corrections.

The weather here has gone from warm temperatures and strong winds to a prediction of a number of rainstorms.  The studio, as we now call the garage, is finished.  And the small barn was built in the yard for storage.  But there is still stuff all over the yard and driveway that needs to be moved into the barn or discarded.

I always run out of time before I run out of things to do

5 comments:

Linda Osborn said...

You know I have always been a huge fan of the Barry/Molly situation. I thought it was great when he would happen to cruise by her house late at night, and join her {or her parents} in bed ! Wouldn't mind a little more of that romance again--of course he could have been a serial killer since she was always leaving the door unlocked ! Looking forward to the next book.

Betty Hechtman said...

Linda, you won't be disappointed with One for the Hooks. There is lots of Barry.

chkntza said...

I love hearing about your writing process. It's fascinating how an author's mind works. I am not an author, just a reader.

Betty Hechtman said...

chkntza, It always kind of surprises me when characters seem to take over and say stuff wasn't expecting.

Linda O. Johnston said...

Sounds like your writing is keeping you busy--surprise! It sounds like good stuff that'll all result in wonderful stories.