I’ve never met a first draft that didn’t need work. Sometimes I have too many ly words, or I’ve used a weasel word 325 times, or a character lacks motivation, or worst of all I discover the book is flat boring when the hero and heroine are on their seventh coffee date. More rewrites!
And then when I have the story spit shined and polished I hand it over to my most trusted reader. Does she love it or hate it? To be honest she has never hated one of my stories yet. But she always finds plot holes, places where my character is acting out of character, and boring spots. Can anyone say more rewrites?
So I set to work on what I hope are the final rewrites of my manuscript and finally type the end for what I hope is the last time. Now you know why so many authors suffer from headaches!
Do I accept every suggestion my favorite reader makes? Do I incorporate all the changes my friends suggest? No, because when all is said and done it’s my story and my voice. However, more often than not they’re right and there is room for improvement.
Now that I’m finished (can you hear me snickering) I send my book in for consideration to be published. If I’m lucky and it grabs an editor’s attention and is accepted for publication there are always changes required. If I receive a revise and resubmit letter there are definitely changes to be made and still hope for publication. The only time I don’t need to make additional changes is when I receive a rejection. Hmm, when I look at it like that additional revisions don’t seem so bad.
Don’t get me wrong writing is tough, but I love it. If I didn’t there are much easier things in life to tackle. Plus I love writing stories that show God’s love and plan for my character’s lives. How about you? Have you found any shortcuts to help speed up the writing process? What keeps you writing? I’d love for you to leave a comment and let me know.
Terri Weldon is a lead analyst by day and an award winning author by night. Her novella The Christmas Bride Wore Boots won the best novella category in the 2016 Lyra Awards. She enjoys traveling, gardening, reading, spending time with her family, and shopping for shoes. One of her favorite pastimes is volunteering as the librarian at her church. It allows her to shop for books and spend someone else’s money! Plus, she has the great joy of introducing people to Christian fiction. She lives with her family in the Heartland of the United States. Terri has two adorable Westies – Crosby and Nolly Grace. Terri is a member of ACFW and RWA. She is a member of the Seriously Write Team (www.seriouslywrite.blogspot.com). Readers can connect with Terri at www.terriweldon.com
Ellie Alexander is in love. And the only thing sweeter would be if Libby, Natalie, and Stephanie, her three unmarried, unattached granddaughters, could find the same happiness. Maybe with a little help from her and her beau Blake Parker . . .
A Match Made in Williamstown by Lady of Love Inspired Romance Jean C. Gordon — Libby Schuyler has avoided dating since her break-up with college-sweetheart Jack Parker. Out of nowhere, Jack shows up claiming Ellie is swindling his grandfather, Blake, through a travel agency partnership they’ve formed. Libby and Jack team up to protect their grandparents and get to the bottom of Ellie and Blake’s business and romantic relationship. While Libby and Jack fight their reignited attraction, Ellie and Blake conspire to bring the two together.
A Match Made in Sheffield by Terri Weldon— Natalie Benton bounced from one foster home to another until she landed on Ellie Alexander’s doorstep. Natalie’s vagabond childhood caused her to yearn for a secure life, which led to Natalie’s five-year plan: complete her law degree, marry the perfect man, become a partner at Montgomery, Haynes, and Preston, and produce one child. Getting arrested wasn’t in Natalie’s plan. Needing a public defender wasn’t in her plan. Falling for Grady Hunter, her public defender, definitely wasn’t in her plan. Can Grady convince Natalie there is more to life than her five-year plan? Is Ellie the only one who sees a future for Natalie and Grady?
A Match Made in Freedom by Lisa Belcastro — Stephanie Gould loves life on Martha’s Vineyard . . . until she runs into Kay and Tim, her former business partner and her ex-fiancé, who just returned from their honeymoon. Surprised by the heartache she thought was gone, Stephanie heads to the Berkshires to visit family and friends. Arriving in Stockbridge, Stephanie meets Captain Henry Lewis. Little does Stephanie know, her grandmother has already met Henry, and Ellie thinks Henry is perfect. Stephanie has no interest in dating, Henry included. If only Henry didn’t turn up everywhere Stephanie goes. When he walks up beside her at the Norman Rockwell Museum, Stephanie can’t deny her attraction, but she’ll do her best to fight it.
Buy Links
Amazon Kindle & Print: http://amzn.to/2pb4HuK
Nook, iBooks & Kobo: https://www.books2read.com/u/3neJnB Barnes & Noble Print: http://bit.ly/2qbmqEtMatchmakers
