I tried to write without going back—plunging forward chapter after chapter. I couldn’t do it. I went back to the beginning, nitpicked a bit and then decided my MC was boring, some characters too “bubblegum”, and the story was fizzing out as I went along.

Sat down and totally retooled my characters, made an outline (like I used to do)and —in my opinion–it was the right choice. I cut mercilessly but now my excitement for the project is renewed.

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