Been madly busy, but in good ways. Last weekend attended a wedding in Cancun that was so lovely and joyful that I’m still dazzled by it. And that’s not to mention the tropical views and lapping ocean, food, and lots of dancing. But mostly the just-right-happiness of the beautiful couple.

Back in Oregon I’m tackling weeds and honeysuckle overgrowth, ailing yew trees, and general yard neglect. I’m also working on a  tricky manuscript that launches a thriller series, so making lots of notes trying to make certain the stage is set for all that follows.

A few things I’m focusing on that you might find helpful:

Determining if the protagonist and leading characters’ main personality traits are apparent in book 1. There will be more time to develop secondary and contradictory traits in the next stories, but first impressions are crucial. A character’s main traits don’t change over time; they’re embedded like your height or toes or elbows. {I had to pause for a moment here for the body parts that cannot be changed by cosmetics, dentistry, or surgery.}  I’ve also shrunk half an inch since my last physical so there’s more stretching in my future. Here’s more on this topic: Nail Your Character’s Essence

Pacing–this particular story needs a shattering sense of threat and urgency that pushes the story forward and grates on the reader’s nerves.

Structure–determining if the events are unfolding in the best order for overall coherence and suspense.

Voice–do the characters sound age and background appropriate? I often suggest to clients that their younger characters can sound edgier or more contemporary.

Word potency–I’ve got hefty word and phrase lists on my iPad and in my Commonplace Books (I create seasonal ones so I’m on Spring 2025 right now). The word lists are divided into power words, descriptions, settings, and bringing characters to life. I peruse them for inspiration with every manuscript I edit.

Nailing the landing–does the ending tie up the plot threads and provide enough emotional resonance and nudge the reader to look back at what came before?

Keep writing, keep dreaming, have heart