Brenda Buchanan

We walked on Sunday at Ferry Beach in Saco, when the temp was about 12 and the wind was blowing at about 25 so it was big-time bundle-up time. We took a nice photo of dunes glistening under a coat of snow frosted by freezing rain, but my computer is balking at inserting it. I will try again later.

So winter has Maine in its grip, finally. I comfort myself that we are halfway through January, that the light is already coming back, that in three short months it will be April. Burrowing in to my house, my office, my flannel-sheeted bed, I’m in active hibernation.
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A sweet day today on the coast of Maine, not warm as yesterday, but lovely nonetheless. We walked at Crescent Beach, where the water was calm and the breeze was light. Here’s a photo from the bluff at the southwest end, looking toward Richmond Island.

This particular beach is the setting for one of my favorite scenes in my work in progress, The Quick Pivot. It came together more easily than any other scene, and has needed the least revision.

My work this weekend on the QP has gone well. I’m about done with the personality transplant on that key female character and at least to my (admittedly biased) eyes, it’s working. My pal and beta reader Maureen will be giving it a look next week. We’ll see what she says.
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No photo tonight, just some before-bed thoughts about writing and rewriting.

I finished the first draft of my current Work in Progress – The Quick Pivot – in August. I let it sit a while, like bread to rise, then gave it a full read to make sure the plot hung together. When I’ve got my fingers in it every day, it’s easy to lose track of details.

Sure enough, I found one medium-sized hole in the story. I mended it, then put the manuscript into the hands of a few trusted readers who pull no punches. A few weeks later I was sorting through much useful feedback. I incorporated the easy stuff first and worked my way up to the delicate revisions that require the most time. By November I thought I was done, but more feedback sent me back to the keyboard, refining, polishing, trimming some more.
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