When you sit down to write, you can simply continue writing or you can constantly pause to fill in the gaps. It seems that no matter how small the or large the gap is, the desire to mind/mend the gap is a bit overwhelming.

Mid way through a chapter, I find myself rereading previous words. This occurs not just for the current chapter, but the previous one as well. As I read, the voice of one of my former teachers enters my head: Create, don't state.

Well, that is easier said then done. Especially since I've been on the editing side of things for so long. Fixing the scenarios and trying to resist the details is tougher than it seems. While no one else may care that a chair is green or blue, for some reason, my brain starts asking that question so I can paint the picture with words. Remember, this is just one chair. It is not even THE chair. Describing a painting on a wall is nice, but if that paining has nothing to do with the story, it may not be needed with detail.

I wonder at times if it would be better if I just turned the story into a children's book and draw everything out. Then again, I think I have tried the children's book approach and that definitely took more concentration. I have been wondering if part of my challenge is and effort to make things balance for my semi-photographic brain where I try to balance the visual of what I remember with the audible side of the words that I read.

So, each time I site down to write another paragraph or two, there is a fifty-fifty chance that most of my writing time will be spent reworking what came before it. I think I may just need to lock myself in my office and work through things for a couple of days. Maybe, if I don't let myself out, I can get through the fifty plus percent that still needs to be written.

Here's to better balance moving forward.