Editors tell me it is easy. Remember, one day for authors to write, three days for editing and pre-press work.

It gets easy once it starts flowing. But you know that! Here's hoping the dam breaks...

Sure, there are an infinite number of roads, so just pick one and start writing as fast as you can. You can always revise it later. Who knows? You might create some memorable moments that can be used in the second draft or another project.

Good Luck!

Oh, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY, birthday girl! Can't wait until your clock chimes--Mass tomorrow and 7 AM comes before I'm ready everytime...

Health, happiness, and lots of easy writing in the coming year!

Actually, what I'm doing now is revising my earlier chapters to conform with the current plot. But it's slow going, and some whole new scenes have to be created.

Ugh.

On the other hand, I'm starting to think this draft ain't half bad. I just went downstairs to tell A. the H. that I'm one of the best writers in the whole world.

No kidding it's hard. Especially when you think you have something really good to say.

I don't know why we torture ourselves when we could play video games.

"Writing is easy: all you have to do is stare at a blank page and concetrate until blood oozes from your forhead."

Unknown

Just remember every word you're going to write has already been written at least once in the dictionary. It's just a matter of putting them in the right order.

It's just a matter of putting them in the right order.

Can I smack Clyde now?? ;-)

Hey, I know whereof I speak. It took TWELVE revisions to get my book to the point the publisher would print it and put it in stores. Lots of moving words around to get the order right.

Of course, by that time, I was sick of the whole thing and never wanted to see it again. Just send me the check. Which, FINALLY, is due in September. I plan to buy a new bathmat, maybe a shower curtain.

I have gobs of words. Unfortunately, for what I'm doing I need more than words, characters, and dialogue. I need Actual Plot. And I need physical clues. And I need people to be surprised at the end.

You're in luck. I am owner and sole employee of the rarely-used PlotsRus, Inc., member FDIC on alternate Thursdays. Below-average plots (the kind seen on Beverly Hills 91210) are 75 cents, decent ones, $1.10, better ones $2.36, and really, really, really good ones $1,200,304. Plus tax. Those, when combined with the appropriate movie stars, directors and advertising and production budgets, usually make people millionaires. Unfortunately, there's no market for these in Hollywood these days, so yesterday I shredded them all and hung up the "gone fishing" sign. I plan to take the rest of the epoch off.

Make the killer a character that was just mentioned incidentally in Chapter 1--"The letter carrier said "Good Afternoon, Miss" as he passed on his way to the Sander's Craftsman bungalow." That passes for clever on PBS. The clue was that the letter carrier was pleasant. And enunciated clearly.

Right, Clyde. I know this won't get made. I just want it published--preferably in hardcover.

Thanks, Darrell. But I think I can do a bit better than that ;)

NEVER say never. NEVER. I didn't, and after nearly 100 rejections from agents and publishers, I got my first book published. In hardcover. By a real publisher that pays royalties. Everyone you're going to be dealing with has an opinion, and few count. Most can only say NO, while few can say YES, for they haven't the authority. Or the taste or common sense to see something original that hasn't been done before. Like I said before, if agents knew what good writing was, they would be writers. Everyone can be a critic. That's the easy job. Writing something to criticize is a little harder. Keep at it, and let me know when it's in the stores and I will peruse the covers.