Exciting improvements.

 I've read half of the book out loud to Linda, and I think we are really improving it.  I'm so glad I took this extra step.

Last night, as I was going to bed, four new scenes for The Dead Spend No Gold erupted in my mind -- fully formed and feeling wholly organic.

I managed to go to sleep, and woke up first thing in the morning and wrote two of the new scenes, as well as several little additions in the rest of the book.

I read the scenes to Linda, who teared up (always a really good sign if Linda is emotionally affected) and I knew that I was on the right track.

"Are you sure the new scenes don't slow down the book?" I asked.

"They are the book," she answered.

I thought the book was ready with the last draft, but I think I've improved it by quite a bit since them.  It is feeling real, and complete, and I'm getting more and more happy with it.

The characters are being fleshed out, their motivations developed.

One of the scenes is a really cathartic ending.  (Not sure  if the climax or the chapter before the climax.)

It's really fun when this happens.  There is something about knowing that it is the "last" draft that concentrates the mind, pulls that little bit extra out of you.

It's gaining depth.  Hard to get that.  It's what I strive for, and I think it is happening.

I'm getting really proud of this book.

All this work may push back the finish by a couple of weeks, but I think it is well worth it.


Earlier entry:

Reading out loud is time consuming, but has been very productive.  I'm surprised by how many things I find that I need to change.  Frankly, a little alarmed by it.  I was ready to send this off, now I'm glad I took the time to make one more pass through.

I probably shouldn't be surprised.  I made some major changes, added nearly 10K words, so yeah it was bound to have some rough patches.

I feel good about what's happening.  It is like having everything you need and just giving it that final tightening up and polish. 

There are these places where I could leave the manuscript alone and it would be fine, but I have a niggling suspicion that it could be better if I reorganized it slightly.

Under those terms, it can be hard to make the changes.  But I did so with Led to the Slaughter, and I'm glad I did, so I'm trying to give The Dead Spend No Gold the same attention.