Julie & Julia . . . and oh yeah, Peg

I can talk about it now.

When I went back to my rewrites today, I realized why I'd stopped a few days ago.

During the writing of my first draft, I needed to come up with a tiny little plot point that would make sense and enhance the story. But did I do it then? Nope. I just inserted the little red letters for me to come up with something later. Well, to be fair, I'd also given myself a bit of a clue. The rest of it however, was for me to figure out at some point Down the Road.

Well, I have arrived at Down the Road. And it ain't easy. I think there was some part of me that didn't think I'd really get here, so what would be the harm?

But after a bit of stepping away and pretending I was brainstorming for someone else, I came up with a plan.

The success made me feel like either one of the characters in Julie & Julia. Have you seen that movie yet? I adored it. Two women who feel they have something more to do. Something to contribute.

And they never finish anything.

Life has plot points, too. I get that. But when something you supposedly have control over, like a scene you've written (duh), is just sitting there sneering at you, it hurts. I felt stupid and uncreative. A total fraud.

And believe it or not, so did Julia Child. Whose cookbook, by the way, is now on my list of things I want.

Julie and Julia, each in their own way, just slogged through life's little bad patches and disappointments. Each finally finding a way to finish something.

And, oh yeah. Two pretty cool love stories to boot.

Go see the movie. You'll see what I'm talking about.

CR: Love & Respect.

It's all better with friends.