True to the work

If you've noticed a shortage of blogs lately it's because I've been a little wrapped up in a rewrite of my latest manuscript. After several weeks of this, I've decided rewrite is synonomous with a couple of four letter words---hard work!

I've never been a writer who gets it right the first time---or three---around, but for whatever reason, this current work in progress is taking ridiculously longer. Just when I think I've finally got a chapter right, someone will read it and find something I missed. Sometimes these things are little; more often they've been huge. Here's a sampling of the errors/issues I've addressed in the past couple of weeks.

Fifteen-year-old daughter (reading a scene for me to check for romance element)---"Your main character is probably not going to get this reference to Temple Square, since she grew up on the East Coast and she isn't a member of the church."

Me---"Good point, daughter. Thanks." Fix. Fix. Fix.

Husband (listening to me read an action scene to see if---as Rob Wells so lovingly puts it---it is "Holy Lame.")--- "Wait. Did you just use the word, revolver?"

Me--"Yes. I was trying to find another word for gun. Gun, gun, gun, gun, gun gets pretty redundant."

Husband---"They're not interchangeable, dear."

Me---"In this book about weapons, that Annette Lyon lent me, they are."

Husband (looking at book)---"Doesn't she write historicals? This book was published almost 20 years ago. No one uses a revolver now. These guys are going to be packing semi-automatics."

Me (sighing)---"Why did I think I could write suspense?"

Husband---"I know, let's go up to the gun show. Then you can see firsthand what I'm talking about."

Me--"Nice try, dear." Research, research, research, research. Fix. Fix. Fix. Fix.
No doubt the feds have me on some kind of watch now, since I've bookmarked websites about everything from Uzi's to how to make a bomb. If I disappear, you'll know why.

Brilliant writer friend and editor, LuAnn Staheli (referring to chapter where Sarah is singing a lullaby to get three-year-old James asleep)---"I don't buy this scene. Why is she sitting at the piano singing to him? He's going to bed isn't he? Wouldn't she just tuck him in and sing to him in his room?"

Me---(feeling really stupid) "Uh, yeah." Fix. Fix. Fix.

Editor, Angela Eschler (from part of thirteen pages of comments for revisions)---"There needs to be a reason Sarah goes to Seattle. Jane and Peter have to help her somehow, otherwise it seems like a contrived situation simply to bring Jane back into the story . . ."

Me---(banging head against computer) "Um . . . really good point. Why didn't I think of that?! Unfortunately it's going to require a major rewrite of the last twelve chapters!" (crying) "I should have stuck with quilting. It was a much better hobby." Fix. Fix. Fix. Delete. Delete. Delete. Delete. Fix. Fix. Fix. Fix. Fix. Fix. Fix. Delete.


And so it goes. It doesn't matter who reads for me, the pages always come back red. I know this makes for a much better book. I believe the whole, "great stories are diamonds mined from layered rewrites" thing, but it gets tiring. I'm so ready to start another story, to catch up on my laundry, to mop the kitchen floor. But it will have to wait.

My friend just emailed. She's got another 150 pages of my manuscript finished. There are a few places that need work. I'd run outside and scream, but fortunately I just finished reading an excellent article in the BYU Magazine. Written by our beloved prophet, Gordon B. Hinckley, it is titled, "True to the Faith" and has just reminded me that I want to be true to my work---no matter what that is.

Citing a recent article from Fortune magazine (Geoffrey Colvin, "What It Takes To Be Great," Vol.154, no.9) he reminded us that we, "will achieve greatness only through an enormous amount of hard work over many years . . .The good news is that (our) lack of a natural gift is irrelevant---talent has little or nothing to do with greatness . . . Nobody is great without work."

What a hugely comforting thought! The talent part definitely seems to be lacking right now, but it is possible that hard work might make up the difference (though I really hope it won't take years).

President Hinckley goes on to say, "In matters of honesty, there are no shortcuts . . .There is only simple, honest truth spoken in total candor. And I think there is nothing more honest than good, hard, work."

Though President Hinckley was referring to something far greater than a romance writer's struggles, his insights on honesty and work made a lot of sense. To be a good writer, I have to be honest with myself. If a chapter isn't the best it can be, I have to be willing to tear it apart and start again. I have to accept others' honest truth spoken in total candor. And I have to be grateful for it! Then I have to get back to work.