So I went to a writing group, the sunrise area one, and turned in chp 1 in all its ugliness (1st draft) to them for some feedback. Now I hadn’t told them that I had actually finished the book so by turning in chapter 1 some of them could have thought that that was all there was.

They read it and gave suggestions but one idea struck a cord with me. The stories title is “Joy left the World” which means it is focused around Joy and her issues. His idea, again after only reading part of chapter 1, was to have Joy be the returning vet from Afghanistan instead of Chris.

I don’t want to say I was closed off to the idea about writing about a woman vet but since I had already poured 60,000+ words into it along the original premise I wasn’t about to change it. Still…. I was open to the idea even if it didn’t make sense for me then and there. This is the heart of editing. Some ideas can improve the work while others may just gut the entire thing. It is up to you to be as honest as you can about what it will/might do.

* I have been interrupted six times during the course of trying to write this article. The “Joy’s” of trying to do anything at home with a young family.