Can You Eat Too Many Cookies?

Things around the Tiki Hut may be a little wild and crazy this week, what with Christmas on the horizon. And maybe a little sugar high by both readers and me :)

I am happy to report, however, that gifts are wrapped - with the exception of two last-minute ones Live-In Handyman ordered, which have not yet arrived but are on the UPS truck. Somewhere.

Since I'm not hosting Christmas dinner this year, I don't have major housecleaning to do. Yea! Even so, there are still plenty of Christmas-related items on my agenda. But not so many that I can't find a few little chunks of time here and there to work on my manuscript. At least that's the plan.

I've indulged in some heavy thinking about my manuscript while I've struggled with ribbon and tape. One of my goals for this round of revisions was to make my heroine more in charge of her destiny at the climax.

As it was written, she did take charge of the situation, but only after the villain surprised her. Yesterday, I finally figured out a way for her to initiate the events that lead to the climax and be in control of the same ending without those events being planned by the villain. In the new version, it will be the protagonist - and the plan she makes - who outsmarts the villain. The genre is romantic suspense.

I'm pumped!

Of course I'm not at the climax yet revision-wise, but now that I have an outline for how to handle it, getting there should be fairly clear sailing with no major storms in the forecast.

After this draft, I'll be ready to start on regular manuscript clean-up and polishing. Yes! Finally.

This has been the manuscript from hell. Part of the reason has been LIFE. But another part is everything I've learned about putting a novel together while I've been writing this one. I've basically started over and redone major portions of it more than once.

So as happy as I am to have learned all that I have, I'll be equally as happy to say "I'm done!" when I finally do finish.

Well ... done except for the synopsis.

And the query.

But you knew that. Right?

I think I may have eaten too many cookies :)

Comments

Naw! have another cookie, you'll feel better.
Manzanita said…
Can you really ever have too many cookies??? But better you eat them before the cookie monster gets to them. Have a blessed Christmas, Carol..
Manzi xo xo
Carol Kilgore said…
Alex - Good to know!

Manzanita - Same to you :)
Lydia Kang said…
Oh, the cookies are fine. But they are best when shared. Mmmm. Thanks!
;)
notesfromnadir said…
I think you can be excused for have lots of cookies this time of year. Notice how it's phrased, lots rather than too many!

Glad that you're working out your plot to your [& your heroine's] liking.

The good news is that once you have a complete 1st draft then you'll be in a fine position to write that synopsis & draft a query letter.

Meanwhile, be glad you don't have to do loads of cleaning! :)
Joanne said…
I like the way the heavy plot thinking went on during the Christmas gift wrapping ... Isn't that the truth, that in some way, we're ALWAYS writing, even when it looks like we're doing something else!
Maryannwrites said…
Glad you worked out the plot issue. It does help to be doing something mindless and the solution to a writing problem will come to mind. A good friend said she would always go wash dishes when she was stuck and invariably the answer would come.

Enjoy your cookies and the Holidays.
G. J. Jolly said…
I've always thought of the query and synopsis as being the most difficult. I hope these go well for you.
Mason Canyon said…
You can never have too many cookies. You'll get everything done in no time. Best of luck.

Mason
Thoughts in Progress
‘Tis cookie season so enjoy.

I love those “Aha” moments when something suddenly clicks into place, so I understand how good you must feel.

Congratulations on the breakthrough and Merry Christmas!
Elspeth Futcher said…
You're in a win-win situation; win #1, you figured out a way for your heroine to be in charge of her own destiny; win #2, you have cookies. It's hard for me to say which one is the bigger win.
Unknown said…
Can never eat too many cookies.(: Like you, I had a serious learning curve to overcome. Before beginning my project I never considered the importance of point of view, and I didn't understand it. Active versus passive voice etc., was a bit overwhelming. Now, that I've got all that down I'm in the process of re-writing the mess I made of my first draft. Best of luck on your novel. Have a blessed holiday.
Southpaw said…
Too many cookies? I don't think so. You have exciting news with your writing, which is awesome.
Carol Kilgore said…
Lydia - Yes, everyone grab a couple of cookies.

Lisa - I like 'lots' :)

Joanne - So true. Maybe writers invented multi-tasking.

Maryann - Maybe your friend will come wash mine!

Glynis - Not only difficult, but very high on the List of What Is Important.

Mason - Let's hope so. I have a couple more items on my list for today.
Carol Kilgore said…
Jane - Merry Christmas to you, too!

Elspeth - Decisions, decisions :)
I think the bigger win is solving the plot problem.

Andrea - Best of luck on your project, too. Merry Christmas!

Holly - I hope you grabbed a cookie. I was pretty excited when the answer popped into my head.
Terry Odell said…
I'm at the same place in my WIP. But also, since it's romantic suspense, there has to be the Big Black Moment, and right now, mine is small and gray.

Terry
Terry's Place
Romance with a Twist--of Mystery
Carol - You can NEVER eat too many cookies during the holidays. And, congrats on working out your WIP struggle. =D
Carol Kilgore said…
Terry - I'm pretty sure I have a killer black moment. I haven't always, but I think I've nailed this one. This is one of those things I've learned while writing this manuscript.

RaShelle - Whew! And thanks :)
Terry Odell said…
Carol - I'm so mixed about Black Moments. I mean, if it's a romance, everyone knows it's going to work out, so finding a believable black moment is tough. I prefer that it be more external than internal, but in my WIP, I'm not sure I like that path. Still mulling

Terry
Terry's Place
Romance with a Twist--of Mystery
Carol Kilgore said…
Terry, what bothers me about some of them is that they make the heroine look either wimpy or too stupid to breathe. And like with a mystery, it depends largely on the set-up. I'm willing to believe a lot of stuff so long as the author has set it up well. Otherwise, not so much.
VR Barkowski said…
Congratulations on the writing epiphany! Certainly worthy of unlimited cookies. :)

Why is it the word query sends chills down my spine? I'm pretty ok with it used as verb, but as a noun... very scary.
Hart Johnson said…
"I've indulged in some heavy thinking"

TOTALLY read 'thinking' as 'drinking'... *snicker* Seriously though, plans for revision sound great! I always like the MC to be more ACTIVE rather than REactive. (in fact I love a book where they are initially REactive but grow into the active part.
Carol Kilgore said…
VR - Queries are scary. They are SO important. I want mine to be perfect ... yet I continue to tweak them while I'm sending them out. Perhaps we need to invent a better system - but I have no idea what it would be.

Hart - Well, there might have been a tiny bit of that going on, too :) I love books like that, too. I hope this will turn out to be one of them.
LR said…
Your novel sounds intriguing, Carol. Quick, finish it and sell it so I can read it! :)

I'll eat some cookies while I wait.
Carol Kilgore said…
Thank you! I hope it sells :)
Enjoy the cookies.
Toyin O. said…
You can never eat too much cookies during the holiday:)
Talli Roland said…
YOU CAN NEVER HAVE TOO MANY COOKIES! :)

Perish the thought, Carol!

Have a great Christmas!
xx
Carol Kilgore said…
Toyin - Thanks for stopping by the Tiki Hut and grabbing a handful of cookies. Merry Christmas!

Talli - May you have a wonderful Christmas, too.

.