Category Archives: The Troubles

I revamped the Portora section, added new details and resequenced some of the chapters. Discovered an error in the timeline so I had to fix that. Feeling very good about the rewrites, though I wish they’d all come at once … Continue reading →

Our dog, Fubar, seems to be responding spectacularly well to the insulin. She’s perked up a lot and is her old self (which is amazing for a near 13-year old dog). So I am getting back to editing my first … Continue reading →

It’s been tough going the past few days. I’ve been reviewing some Portora sections and, all the while, my dog Fubar has just not been right. I took her in and was told she had diabetes. Unfortunately my vet, whom … Continue reading →

I decided this chapter was no longer up to snuff, so I’m revamping it to flesh out some subtle new details. So far so good.

Doing my preliminary final walk through the manuscript now, fishing out the last of the bugs. Will have one more to go before I call it finished finished.

One of the most important and useful tools for the writer is to read his or her work aloud. After you’ve read it with your eyes for the thousandth time, your brain starts to fill in the gaps. So it … Continue reading →

I’ve gone back to the very beginning and combed the knots out. This gave me the opportunity to add some details to punch up the story without going over the top. By jove, I think I’ve got it!

It never ceases to amaze me the little opportunities I find to make my manuscript just that much better. There are known “rules” about writing, and perhaps the biggest is using “active” voice. You know,  “Grandma was hit by the … Continue reading →

Wow, it’s been an interesting struggle but I’ve managed to finish the preliminary final on the Sligo section, and I’ve managed to cut about 900 words – this is after adding about 1000 over the past few days. So I’ve … Continue reading →

Well, I guess it’s safe to say I’m not in final draft anymore, since I’m editing again. But this is a good thing, really. I’m not just fixing small nits – I’m finding ways to enrich the story by cutting … Continue reading →