Working to a deadline. ✍️

I’m working on a new story which has a deadline on the 15th April. I was busy working on a story for the submission, but it wasn’t really working. I was a thousands words in on a three thousand word count for a horror story.

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Until I get the tone of the story right, I don’t feel the beating heart of it. If I can’t feel the heart then the story doesn’t come alive for me. I had formed a plot line, and I knew the setting and my main characters, but something was missing. The flow of the story wasn’t working. I often know quite quick if something isn’t working. Once I can hear the main character’s voice, I know I’m working in the right direction.

Having given up on the first version, I looked around for some new inspiration and found it in a folk song. I have the opening paragraph, the two main characters and the tone of the piece. I think I have a great new twist too, but only time will tell. Tomorrow, I shall get the first draft down. It all takes time, but I’m sure this version does have a beating heart.

Today, I found another lovely review for The Funeral Birds on Amazon.

[image error]A wonderful review: everyone seems to love my characters. I guess I better write more twisted tales about them