First Scenes

Two novels. Two critique groups. Two first scenes. In one week. How did this happen?

First novel’s scene went to my new writers’ group on Tuesday. Two published romance writers, Michelle and Patti, saw what was needed to take the scene to the next level, and I’ve put in some time this week revising to their suggestions.

This is the ms. that I’m entering into the Golden Heart in a month, so I want it to be perfect. Used to be Attracting Jack but now it’s The Paris Notebook. One more pass through the whole ms. before I send it off.

Then there’s my other writing group, meeting for critiques this Saturday at my house. They’ll comment on my other WIP, Blue Heaven. (Used to be Remodeling Eden.) This WIP is going to be the major work of the winter.

Wrote it when the real estate market was booming so all that has to be revised. (There’s a sub-genre of fiction called Recession Lit. Saw that and thought, yep, that’s my book.) 

I didn’t plan on working on two novels, being in two critique groups, and doing both meetings in the same week, but it’s been fun. Writing groups motivate me like nothing else. 

Well, except maybe Donald Maass. Martha has been doing his Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook, which inspired me to pull out my copy the other day. Cannot remember which WIP I used it for, but the chapter on first lines came in handy yesterday while revising.

It’s good to be back in the land of fiction.