Well, the only thing is, there are some big changes I know for sure I want to make. I'm just waiting till I finish the first draft because I'm so close to the end that it would drive me crazy to go back NOW. Some of what's there now doesn't even really make sense, apart from notes in Act III telling myself what to adjust in Acts I and II so the ending will work. It's by far the messiest manuscript I've ever produced, because I've been teaching myself to plot in a new genre as I go along.

Maybe I'd let the CP Who Gets It read the whole thing in its current state, but NSM anyone else.

Hmm, I'm going make a rec based on my experience of you as a person on this board rather than any great wisdom in novel writing. I'll leave actual reactions to your plan to people like Plei or Barb who know about this: but DON"T confuse whatever plan you decide on with some sort of law or absolute rule. If inspiration strikes out of order be open to it. If you wake up one morning, knowing how to write a scene or a bit of dialog do it. Don't be so rigid that you turn away inspiration, or the muse, or the voice of God or whatever you want to call it if it speaks to you. Your plan is a rope you intend to climb to get from where you are to where you want to be. Don't tie yourself up with it.

Yeah, that's me. When I actually make plans, which is by no means all the time, I do tend to become a little too bound to them.

There's actually a Wellington quote which I should put by my computer--take my own protagonist's advice and all that. Paraphrasing, he said that the French commanders he fought in Portugal and Spain made their campaign plans like a set of fine harness. It looks very impressive, but if it breaks, you're screwed. (Um, I'm paraphrasing heavily there.) But he made his plans out of rope--so when something went wrong, he just tied a knot and kept going.

Does that plan make sense to others who've written novel-length?

Definitely let it sit before you do anything.

Other than that, go with what feels right. It sounds to me like you might be making it more complicated than it needs to be, but I don't know the scope of the book, plotwise. If you have strong feelings about what you need to change, then change them, and if you know you missed adding pertinent details, then add them. A final pass, with a rest after revising, and you should be good to go, but it's really whatever works for you.

The polish challenge is now closed.

The new challenge is blush.

Personally, Susan? I'm with Amy in thinking that perhaps it's a bit more complicated than it needs to be, however, it's definitely what works for you and given how many subplots and characters you have in this story and how many changes it's already undergone, I can see that you're trying to eliminate any potential issues.

If it were me, I'd do it in this order.

• Let it sit
• FIRST PASS, making notes as needed.
• REWRITE: Cut unneeded scenes, add additional ones. (Here, I tend to rewrite AS I read during the first pass, but that's because I'm clearly insane. YMMV.)
• BETA: Self-explanatory. Take another break and let other people have a look.
• POLISH/FINAL TWEAK: One final pass, incorporating beta feedback.

I never print out the manuscript, but again, this is me. I do have a very large monitor so I can work with two versions of the MS open at the same time if I feel the need.

But again, and it can't be stressed enough, this is simply me. In the end, do what works/feels best to you.

Paris Hilton's Guide to Understanding the Supernatural

Vampirism is the ultimate liquid diet. Werewolves follow Atkins more strictly than any human can, and get healthy exercise with their meals besides. That applies to Incubi and Succubi as well. Nobody is skinnier than a wraith. (Though, Nobody's diet is a secret that has never been revealed.) Mummies are examples of really successful gastric bypass.

It is not always about weight control though. Sometimes it is a matter of principle. Sasquatch is just watching his carbon footprint. Harpies live lightly on the earth. Zombies are simplifiers, master at stripping life down to bare essentials. Ghouls are the ultimate Freegans.

Snerk, Typo.

I wish I could help, Susan, but I'm such an emotionally needy human when I'm writing (well, when i'm not writing as well, but worse when I'm writing) that I think whatever advice I have, you'd have to do the opposite.

My littlest beta reader, Ashley age 6, loves Sam. Her dad read the first half of the first chapter to her on Thursday night before bed, and then asked questions:

What's the bat's name?

Sam!

How big was Sam?

No bigger than a marshmallow...

He said he'd finish it before school in the morning, and when he went to wake her up, she was already sitting up on her bed, holding the manuscript, trying to read it herself.

Best. Beta. Evar.

Awesome, Allyson. There should be more cover blurbs from readers like Ashley.