I like revising. I like figuring out how to best tell a story or a novel. I'm in serious revising mode right now, and probably will be for the next few months (though I do want to punch out a story or 2 sometime, somehow).

I've been working on cutting an 8,000-word story down to 5,000 words, and that's always a learning process -- you figure out what's flabby in a story really fast. I'm chopping out entire paragraphs. It's kind of fun, in a sick way.

I'm also going over and over the opening to the fantasy novel, and revamping the proposal for that as well. For some reason, I'm terrible at first chapters and openings of proposals/synopses. So I've been trying out new opening lines and approaches, seeing which fits the best.

Huge thanks to Jim H and Luna B for their most excellent (and speedy!) feedback on the opening to my novel. As I've said before, I'm way too close to this novel for my own good. That's what keeps me coming back to it, though, and making me want to make it better.

I hope to do some more work on the story and novel this weekend, as well as find some time to read more of The Dark Tower -- I read the first 50 pages or so last night, and maybe I was just tired, but I felt like King had stolen a page from ME and was floundering with HIS opening as well.

Like I said, I was probably tired.

Tonight we're heading out to watch a local high school football game -- I'll be watching the game and commenting on the coaching decisions (as a former coach and high school player), while my wife and her brother will be analyzing the band (as former high school band geeks -- and I mean that in the most positive way). Should be fun!

And just think, in about 14-15 years we'll be watching OUR boy(s) out there on the field. We can't wait! Later...