When to Play 'em, When to Hold 'em

I've been writing a new story—a police procedural—and really think this one has some potential. The main idea continues to center around the importance of organ donation (my old manuscript), with a new strong sub-plot of illegal immigration and racial prejudice. I hope I can craft it well enough to give everyone things to think about after they close the cover on a satisfying story.

Today, I read the first thirty pages and realized I'm trying to give readers too much too fast. Just because I know the primary characters really well doesn't mean my readers do. I need to give them the time and space to get to know them. That means that several of the scenes I've written will be held back for now.

And hopefully, I won't have to Fold 'em. (But I will if that's what the story needs.)

As writers, have you ever piled it on too quick? What made you discover you needed to slow down?

As readers, have you ever been frustrated by being jerked around from here to there and back again at the beginning of a story?

CR: Snake Skin by C.J. Lyons

It's all better with friends.

A Rewrite? What was I Thinking?

Through the wonder of morning pages, I became convinced that the manuscript I completed about a year ago would be better as a police procedural. It needed some rewrites anyway, so I figured this wouldn't be much more involved.

Yeah, right.

Don't get me wrong. This is still the best way to go—and I'm oh-so-much-more excited about this story—but it is requiring some careful crafting and so many changed scenes/new scenes/deleted scenes it's almost like writing from scratch. Sheesh.

So, Rough Waters continues to be about black market organs and the importance of organ donation, but with a competent detective in charge rather than a distraught father.

Have you ever changed the direction of a manuscript you're writing? Or have written?

As a reader, have you ever read a book that felt like it was missing something? That if the writer would have taken just a bit more time and fleshed it out, she would have really had a winner?

CR: I confess I'm currently reading a book that's interesting, but not engaging. It's The Apostle by Brad Thor. Kind of a military thriller. I think my husband will enjoy it a lot more.

It's all better with friends.