I’ve had an interesting weekend, getting to know my new puppy and watching him like a hawk! I’ve forgotten how babies need so much supervision. In some ways this has been a great thing for me. I couldn’t get on the computer like I usually do in my free time. And you know what? I didn’t miss it. Because I have a worthy cause…training my puppy to be a fantastic dog.

All this training and attention I’ve lavished on Titus makes me realize how much the books we write are just like little puppies. In the beginning we are so excited about the possibilities and jump into the venture with gusto. We love it! And then we get tired.

I’ve been exhausted, listening to Titus cry at night and chasing after him, trying to catch him before he relieves himself on my floors. It takes a lot of discipline and consistency. So it is with our books. It takes tons of discipline. We have to keep at it, even when it gets tough. The discipline and the consistency will help produce a book we can be proud of.

Really, it’s the editing and revision where the discipline comes in. We fine tune our books, eliminating the unnecessary words, adding description, giving texture to a basic story. It is where we make our books listen to the storyteller and obey our commands. And this, my friends, is where I am sadly lacking.

As I’ve been thinking about a new story to write, I’ve been called back by my first MS. So I’ve been tinkering with it, trying to make it obey my commands. (Don’t you love the word tinker?) And my excitement is coming back for it, strangely enough. Maybe I just needed time away.

Or maybe I’m too tired right now to have the energy to do the legwork for a new project. I’m still letting my new story “stew”…doing lots of daydreaming and scene visualizing, but that’s about all I can handle right now.

Who knows, maybe when I get my energy back, I will go ahead with my new story idea. I’d really like to get a good jump on it this summer while I have extra time at home.

What a scattered post this is! Can you tell my brain is fried?