I finished up 49 and 50. I've started figuring out 51, again, there is massive rewriting. Right now I have to figure out how an argument between two friends is going to go. Ultimately, the story doesn't ride on the outcome, but the argument has to happen and there are a lot of factors in how one of the characters approach it.

I'm feeling good and bad about things as I wind down this revision. On the good side, I'm feeling like the next revision won't be a total rewrite. Not that there isn't plenty to do, but I'll be working off the existing draft. On the bad side, the characters and setting are probably too flat. I've also been told I do too much telling.

I'll need to work on those areas, probably hunt down emotion words to deal with the telling. However, I worry about just not having the ability to kill the flatness.

I keep thinking of adjustments I should make to 51. It will help if Valeia reassures Aimee everything will be okay, which totally should happen anyhow.

Hopefully, I can fix things up to read okay. I think the story holds up well if I can get the writing part up to snuff.

I'm unstuck in 51 now, though I think maybe there should be more anger in the scene. I might try to throw in a bit more before moving on, but at least I now know how I'm moving on to the next bit. There's a lot of rewriting in this 51,52,53 stretch. If I were writing a trilogy instead of a book, this is a part I'd likely expand out quite a bit. However, it is only a book, so I've got to keep things condensed.

Third rejection:

I’ve finally had a chance to read Sam. He’s a charmer of a character, and I really liked the first half of his story. After that it started to feel a little too earnest to me, and the lovely tone that the author created in the first half disappeared to some degree. I don’t think this particular project is for me, much as I enjoyed reading it. I’d be happy to see more from Allyson Beatrice, though, if you don’t find a home for Sam. She’s a talented writer, and I’ll bet she’s got some interesting things up her sleeve. Thanks so much for letting me see her first novel!

Bleh. Fifteen more to go...

Dude, that's a fabulous, fabulous rejection. Do not be discouraged! Mark that one in your file for the future. A rejection asking for more from you in the future means your next submission will be tantamount to solicited work.

Sorry Allyson, but it sounds like there are more chances.

I'm so sorry Allyson, but as Liese notes, that's a very positive letter. I know that doesn't fix things, but at least she knows you're a good writer.

Maybe you could do something else with them, Allyson. It sounds like she'd like to. Hope someone wants Sam, too, of course. I finished my spec script(well, at least draft 1.5) I think it's funny, even if I used more f-bombs than an Emanuel holiday dinner. It's still not quite right yet, but for now, I'm just going to be proud.

Congratulations on finishing the draft! There's nothing incompatible between carpet f-bombing and funny.

I got through chapter 52 in this revision. Not a whole lot more to go at this point. I read a bit from an chapter 41 and I'm not quite happy with way it reads, but I suppose that's why it's not the final draft.

While working on 52, Word gave me the message that there were too many spelling and grammar mistakes to keep marking them. First of all, that sounds a bit snitty, second of all, I had no idea it did that. I added some character names to the dictionary and Word grudgingly agreed to keep marking errors.

No, not necessarily, given that it's for Entourage and not "The Electric Company". Otherwise, I might have to do some 'splaining, huh? And I never knew Word did that, either.