Rewriting and Voting!

Yes, novel re-writes are hard!  What do I scrap?  What do I keep?  How do I re-arrange? How much do I lean on my editor's input?  Do I go a different direction?

In the middle of my rewrite process, I recently read an article by Steven Gillis that was bluntly advocating that the 'art' of writing is in the 'rewriting'.  I'd not thought much about what good 'writing' entailed, until I wrote a novel. I understood 'cut and paste' but not the intricate rearrangement of chapters and chapters of thought!

Mr. Gillis went on to say that when he taught a university creative writing class that his class assignment was to write a single story.  The class would then use the entire semester to do rewrite after rewrite!  His article inspired me in my own rewriting process not only in page by page editing, but chapter by chapter finishing.

I have been living with my novel for quite some time now, on and off since 2010 when the premise caught my attention.  It sometimes feels like I will be a 'one novel' author!  I am at the point I want to get loose from this first novel and start on my second, but . . . details need to match, the story needs to flow, yet have intrigue. I am still hoping that all this process will lead, at some point, to the conviction that the work is indeed finished. What a day that will be!

In the meantime, can you take my survey in the right sidebar? It will relieve my mind of one detail, at least for a while.  I want your opinion of a possible title to my work.  I would appreciate your input!

Please . . .

Vote Now! 

P.S. Thanks to all who voted, my novel has a title!  

Sensory Autumn

Autumn, being my favorite season is easy to write about!  My favorite Etsy team has a monthly challenge and this month it says:  Fall is in full swing by the time October rolls around.  Create something that reminds you of Fall through your senses--visually by smell or by touch.  If you prefer, write a post that celebrates the sensory appeal of autumn.

I love when mornings begin to turn crisp with a slight chill in the air.  I open my patio door and step out, just to breathe in the brisk atmosphere. Overcast skies don't dampen my spirits!

Across the parking lot, I see the frost atop the next building, quietly laying there unnoticed by the building occupants comfy within. I see tiny foot prints across the roof marring the frost layer; birds have been hunting their morning's fare, hopping from the rooftop to the pine tree and back again.

After my steaming coffee is finished, I don my warm jacket and sturdy shoes, setting out for a morning walk, down the parking lot toward the green space.

Covered in colorful leaves, I almost cannot see the trail beginning, but I have been here often.  The crunch under my feet marks the beginning of the path. Down the incline, closer to the watershed, I begin to hear the rustle and peep of a chickadee in the trees. I look up and wonder how many of them I can spot this morning.  Are they scurrying to fill their larders for winter or scrambling for the morning meal? I wonder.

I enjoy the end of a flourishing summer season, the wind-down of all the garden bounty!  At the end of my walk, I am inspired to decorate my table, to bring the outdoors inside my small space--grateful for the colors of autumn and the anticipation of the holidays!

Note:  this post was done for  a Blogging Business Artisans challenge.