Author: Susan Forest

Got another crit for a short story done this AM, and chapter 7 of “Assassins” is done. Ran into a bit of a block starting chapter 8, but it was an interesting process. I knew I couldn’t just continue with what I was doing because I was too long away from my main POV character, yet I really didn’t have a passion for what the main POV character would do at the beginning of chapter 8. Yes, she is there, and yes, I know what plot actions she needed to take, but there has to be passion; drive, or the story is boring. So I went back to the main theme / motivation for the book and discovered that I was doing (AGAIN) what my crit group chastised me for last June: letting my main character “drift” through the book, pushed by outside events, rather than being driven by her own internal motivations. So, I went skiing and did a couple of other things for 2 days, thinking about this. And, of course, it came to me where her motivation is not coming out in the book. So now I have a couple of short fixes to previous scenes and the drive for her actions in chapter 8. Will write it today and see if that’s got it!

Susan

Love Christmas! I have 16 days off and although there are many wonderful family activities and of course, skiing (and snowboarding), I have managed to set aside a few days to write. Currently working on Chapter 7 of my current novel and it is going quickly — which I hope is a good thing! No blocks (at least not major ones) right now. One of my commitments today was to be a cashier at a casino where my husband’s organization is raising money to repair a 300 ton steam locomotive. It wasn’t very busy, so I was able to finish critiquing my new acquaintance’s novel between cashing out chips. I should be able to give her the crit at Thursday’s IFWA meeting, so that will be a nice turn-around time for her: one month. Hope my crit is helpful.

And other times!!! So, I posted last week, but 2 of my 3 paragraphs didn’t show up on the post. What I was going to say, is that I am critting a novel for a new member to one of my writers’ groups and there are definite challenges when critting someone you have only had one conversation with. One always wants to be helpful, but a writer has to be very thick-skinned when getting critted, and I don’t want to offend. I think the best bet is to tread lightly . . .

The gathering of my Kensington Writers’ Group was great. People’s careers are really taking off. Not only did Shenaaz have lots of interesting stories about being a GG nominee, Jan has just signed her contract for the publication of her children’s novel, “Dead Frog on the Porch” (great title, eh?) and she and Francis had cool stories to tell about their weekend at the Surrey Writers’ Conference. Also, we have a new member of our group.