Entry 304: A Day Devoted to Research

Keeping a journal has never been one of my strongest pursuits. I find it boring talking about myself for an extended period. This year, I wrote blog entries telling the tales about the things I’ve encountered along my writing road. On this writer’s journey, I’ve run into bumps, got stuck in ditches, and sometimes the scenery becomes tedious. The repetition of editing can become monotonous. Computer glitches can become obstacles along the path as tiresome as construction zones. It can leave a person stuck in technical traffic for hours. The best solution to such problems is sometimes to drive a different route. Please fasten your seat belts and prepare for this new stage on my writing journey. Therefore, I titled this post Entry 304: A Day Devoted to Research.

Remember, editing is an important part of the writing process. Editing is where the artistry takes place. It’s where a writer thinks with their head to catch mistakes. Editing is the sweet spot where the delete button comes in handy. It’s where the creator decides which words belong to the reader and which ones remain with them.

My morning pages and Entry 304: A Day Devoted to Research

I spent the morning doing research for my NaNoWriMo book. There are still a few more facts I need to know before I feel comfortable writing the story. It will continue the story in Prestige, the book I wrote over a year ago, and the third book in the Survivor Series. That will make it the third book in the series. The first entry is Amazing Buchanan and the Beast. Several years ago, I wrote it as a twist to the Beauty and the Beast fairytale for NaNoWriMo. Prestige and Precipice retells the Cinderella story with a modern twist. Beth doesn’t have evil stepsisters. She does have a cousin, an aunt, and an uncle. There isn’t a glass slipper but a mystery to solve and a secret to unravel.

What I am currently reading and Entry 304: A Day Devoted to Research

I am still reading Lelia Meacham’s Dragonfly. The lives of the five spies overlap in interesting ways. Meacham adds Dirk Drechsler to the mix. He is a childhood friend who grew up with Chris in a small German community in Texas. The traitor happens to live in the same boarding house as one of the young people. He follows him one Sunday and discovers a big secret.

The music I selected today and Entry 304: A Day Devoted to Research

I listen to Eric Lindell’s The Sun and the Sea this morning. This New Orleans-based musician has a swampy R&B sound that reminds me of music made in the 1970s.

The stuff going on in my life at the moment and Entry 304: A Day Devoted to Research.

(This is the part that might get boring. You can skip it if you want.)

Rooster and I spent a quiet morning at home. I did research, and he worked on his project. We took our usual trip to the gym. The skies are overcast, but the temps are still warm. We are experiencing a dark, wet fall. The farmers are in the fields stirring up dust. I hope they finish harvesting soon because it’s tough on the allergies. The U.A.W. strike is ongoing, but you wouldn’t know it here. Nobody has walked the picket line, but everyone is getting laid off. Our car still hasn’t been repaired from the dog attack because the dealer can’t get the parts.

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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