So two nights ago, something in my brain clicked. And words for Book Three, they poured out.

I rewrote all of chapter 3, deleted chapter 4, and tweaked a few things. And it was glorious.

But now, I’m thinking about rewriting that first chapter again, and don’t I need to start foreshadowing XYZ again?

Rewriting the opening is a common trap.You get so damned caught up in making the beginning ‘perfect’ that you never finish the book.

But, on the other hand…

 

This is a long, complicated book that pays off some storylines and sets up the end game. Taking a little time to smooth out the first draft isn’t a bad thing. I will probably change my mind later, but having coherent storylines now might save me a lot of work later. Even if it just means not having redo these chapters before I let the betas read.

But, there’s no first draft ever that doesn’t need to be smoothed over before you let a beta read it…

So, this is my last mulligan. Tonight, I’ll redo the first three chapters again, but there is a path forward.

And I’m still just grateful for the words.