The Bandwagon: Stepping Back

Stepping Back

I'm setting aside the bodyguard book. I've rewritten the last quarter a half dozen times, gone back to the beginning, but can't make the strings tie together. My brain hurts trying to twist everything around, and it's just not working. So I'm putting it aside until December. I'll spend the rest of October on a short story (straight romance, so no blasted suspense elements) and planning my Nano book, also a straight romance. Then once that's done, maybe the right way to end it will come to me.

It breaks my heart because I love these characters. They're smart and fun and have great chemistry. I just need a stronger vehicle for them. And it makes me antsy that I don't have anything contemporary out on submission, but this book isn't going to be strong enough if I push through the way it is.

I hope I can come back to it with some perspective.

I'm still keeping Helo, though, as the hero in the short story.

4 comments:

Mary Curry said...: I saw your title, MJ, and thought you were stepping back from writing. LOL I should have known better! GOOD LUCK!; 10:14 AM
Marianne Arkins said...: I just had to do the same thing with one of mine. I HATE to do that, but if it's not working, it's not working, and sometimes distance is what it takes to fix it.

And, I'm with you on not having a contemp out for submission. Makes me itchy.; 11:02 AM
Anonymous said...: I tried to write an inspirational story and I just couldn't do it. I loved my characters and some of the scenes, but a lot of it just would not come to me. So, I had to set it aside.

Sometimes, you do have to step back.; 2:15 PM
MJFredrick said...: Of course you know now that I made this decision, I've been tinkering with it. All good---and I'll be that much farther along in December, right?; 9:12 AM