Saddle Sore

DAY 38

Word Count: 25,034

Sentence of the Day: The woman could change emotions faster than a cutpurse bent on escape.

It's been an entire month since I sat down to work on my Bow Street Runners series. 35 days to be exact. Not that I haven't been thinking about it or researching tidbits here and there, but officially...I'm back in the saddle.

And whoa baby, my backside's a little chafed already.

Re-entry into a story you've taken a break from can be a little rough. Here's a few hints to lessen the turbulence:

Study your character photos.

Wonder about what they're thinking, how they're feeling, before you start writing.

Re-read the last chapter you wrote.

This is a great reminder about where you left off, not just in terms of action but in setting ambiance.

Apply critiques.

Revisit what your crit buddies have said and work in their suggestions. You'll be looking at the piece with fresh eyes--the same kind of eyes that your buddies looked at it with in the first place.

Shut off the internet.

Because when the going gets tough (and it will), you'll be tempted to toodle over to Facebook or Pinterest or whatever your choice of poison is.

Set a word goal for the day and stick to it.

Do NOT get your butt out of the chair until you've reached your daily goal.

Obviously you don't have to do all these things before the writing starts to flow. Pick one or two, then go for it.