Use it or lose it

This is more of an admonition than a post. It's late, I'm tired, I didn't plan sufficiently to get my Muses post written...hmm, what else is new? This story has a predictable ending, me thinks.

But I do have a bit of advice to share. It's simple really and relates somewhat to Rosalie's post this week. While the muse is cranking, keep it going. That story you LOVE, that keeps you up at night and makes you eager to get to the keyboard each day...well, it's not as sweet as it seems. Turn your back on it for a  couple days or a couple weeks and something curious may happen. When you return to your magnificent manuscript, you may find it's changed. Morphed even into something not quite recognizable.

DO NOT WALK AWAY!

When you're in the thick of writing a piece, ride that gravy train all the way home. Don't try to convince yourself the words and the flow of the story will still be there next month or beyond when you go to try to pick it up again. Stories have a limited shelf life. Sure, you can work to regain the thread again and you may even succeed. But if I've learned anything, it's to write a story until it's finished. If you must work on more than one thing - as I do, though I'm trying to force myself to work on no more than 2 books at a time - make sure you keep working on the story every week. Do a little bit as often as possible, just as Rosalie suggested. It's so disheartening to return to the book you once adored only to realize you're not in the same place to write it anymore.

Just consider this a Friday PWA (public writing announcement) from your friendly Muses...