For the Criminally Inane

Mondays are hard for me to write. I take one day off a week, Sunday, and try not the think of my story--not to plot it, figure out some secret of my characters, think of funny things to say. But then when I get to Monday, I can't get back into it. My story is so far away, I have to reread a bit, write some awful stuff, then finally, two hours later, get something worth keeping. Rewriting one of my stories. It's offered some interesting insight. My husband suggest I go ahead and change some scenes, see how it might happen differently. It's hard because I like some of my scenes and rewriting them, I feel, is betraying my characters. Some scenes will benefit from rewriting, others, I really like. Rewritten the beginning six times now.

Did I mention I started a new story. It's about a girl....nope! It's about a boy! Are you surprised? I started it thinking it would be a challenge (and because my husband didn't think I could do it) but it's coming along! Different to write a boy story than a girl story. I have to think differently, write differently. It's a great exercise. Also decided to completely rewrite one of my novels. Actually, all of them. It's kind of depressing to think about it. They are just so far away from what I want them to be. Differences between writing for girls than boys: Girls: the boy has to be perfect and the girl flawed, but he still loves her. Boys: the love story is second to the action, though it has to be there, the action comes first. Girls: suspense is increased by tension in the relationship, will she end up with him? Boys: suspense can come form conflict in the relationship, but there darn better be something else being blown up, shot up, cut up or oth...