Entry 148: Dream of Perfection

I’ve never been good at keeping a journal. It all boils down to consistency. There are days when I skip making an entry. Life can crowd out the time I need to write down my thoughts about a day’s events. I’ve also been reluctant to pose as an expert on the writing process. If I knew anything of value about writing, my work would already be in print. I went out on a skinny limb in 2022 when I shared my 365 days of thankfulness. The exercise forced me to put myself out there with my soft belly exposed. Thank you for joining me on my journey in the written word. Therefore, I plan to keep a journal in 2023 to document my progress. I will call this post Entry 148: Dream of Perfection.

Note: I consider editing an important part of the writing process. Editing is where all the artistry happens.

My morning writing before I started Entry 148: Dream of Perfection

I started with chapter 17 of Amazing Buchanan and the Beast and moved through chapter 21. Every time I read a chapter, I see something that needs to change. I do the modification, thinking I’m done until I read it again and see more changes that need to be made. I am chasing the unobtainable dream of perfection. There is a point where I need to stop and realize it doesn’t exist.

Tomorrow, I plan to start with chapter 19 and move on through 22. I started with 22 this morning but realized I needed to change the time sequence. I separate scenes 21 and 22 by two weeks. That is the wrong approach. I am discovering all the action needs to be moved forward to keep up the momentum of this story. This rougarou is on a tight timetable. He turns into a half-man, half-wolf beast on his 30^th birthday. Will Chandler can no longer take human form after that time. The action must move frantically to intensify the need to break the pace—his feeling for Amazing Buchanan up the stakes.

The book I am currently reading right now and Entry 148: Dream of Perfection

I am reading Elizabeth Lyon’s Manuscript Makeover. The section on character strengths and flaws is so interesting. She talks about the concept she calls ‘hole in the soul’ and how it relates to the seven virtues and vices. A character can spend their life trying to fill a void left in childhood. Maybe it’s not a childhood trauma but an event of a challenge that sends your character on his quest to overcome the odds. I find the information in this book very helpful.

What I’m listening to right now and Entry 148: Dream of Perfection

I put John Mayer’s Continuum on this morning. This morning, a touch of romantic anxiety hit the right spot, and nobody does that better than Mayer.

Who is Molly Shea?

Molly Shea is an accomplished fictional short story writer from Indiana who writes short stories and novels about a fictional town called Tecumseh.  To read more of her short stories and adventures, click here.

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