My writing group sits by the fire, drinking Whale’s Tail and eating cashews. They have read my latest chapters, and it’s time to comment on them. They like them! That’s great, because the first draft is almost done and lots of stuff is starting to come together.
There’s just this one teensy tiny plot thread that doesn’t seem quite right. Do I need to add a sentence? Do I need to explain a motivation a little more? Well, no, that doesn’t quite do it. What if my hero does this? What if the female character does that? What if something happened in a previous chapter to set things up better? Her husband — what if he does something? But wait, we haven’t even met the husband! And suddenly he’s the key to everything! How did that happen?
By the time I finish my Whale’s Tail I have another whole subplot to write, and I am further away from finishing my novel than when I started drinking. Time for another Whale’s Tail.
Thanks a lot, writing group!
