 Yesterday I was contacted by one of the editors I freelance for, offering me a contract. I’m going to have to decide if I take on another project in the midst of trying to blog every single relentless doggone day, plus this wee little task of finishing Book Three of Chloe. As I decide, I need to remember I won’t just have to write the project, but I’ll have to do revisions to rewrite what my editor wants to go in another direction. Revisions are always a little tough, because I hoped I got it the first time. I’ve had editors that never give back revisions. They just take my work and turn it into what they want without any questions or feedback. But without feedback, I never know how to improve. The other extreme is to send it all back with, “This isn’t what I had in mind. Will you try it again from a different angle?” Those are not fun. I do not like those.
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 Remember the nasty, scary pirate in Stardust, Captain Shakespeare? His crew feared him, the hero and heroine were at his grim mercy, and his reputation was impeccably evil? And then after a bit, we find out he’s a cross-dressing soft-hearted romantic?
 Yesterday I quit being a writer. It lasted about an hour, hour and a half. But I wholeheartedly truly quit for that time. Then I pulled myself back together and sat myself in my chair and made my fingers start. Putting. Words. On. The. Page. And after a while, I had a new scene written.
 Goals that are unrealistic or too big, or are just simply too overwhelming, aren’t going to get us anywhere. As a writer, I must have goals and discipline, just like others who want to accomplish “great” things where their passions (or responsibilities) lie. But I’ve found that if I make them too big, I just set up myself for failure. So I’m starting to figure something out. Maybe it will help you too with your accomplishments.
 Recently, some books I’ve edited have brought to my attention a problem writers have that diminishes the strength of their prose (and after about ten times on one page, starts to drive me crazy). It’s an easy pattern for a writer to get into while trying to avoid starting all the sentences the same or with too many “He did this…” or “She did that….” The tiny little word that makes such a problem is “as.” “He nodded as he put down the saw.” “She smiled as she took off her coat.” “As he walked through the door, he answered the phone as it vibrated with its ominous summons.” So much as-ing weakens writing and reflects poorly on the author. Go ahead and change it up. Use interesting nouns and strong verbs. Get away from structuring every sentence the same. “He wasn’t even through the door when his phone rattled in his pocket, announcing the ominous summons.”
 We're in the midst of an amazing, whirlwind weekend of celebration. Hardly have time or brain to blog. But have to keep my streak going. Day 13 of 366 Days of Blogging!
Have you ever been writing a sentence with a quote, and wanting to look smart (like we all do), you paused a moment to consider where the quotation marks versus the punctuation go? Or maybe you want to capture in writing the feeling of “air quotes” to emphasize a word or show that it’s “alleged” or “so-called.” I’m going to solve that dilemma of where to put the quotes for you for every future thing you write, right here, right now. It’s so doable! Really. You’ll love this.
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