I’ve been editing a novel, but all the while, a voice has been interfering with my word flow. It tells me that the novel isn’t good enough and that some magic ingredient is missing. Now if I’m unsure about a story, how can i expect the reader to be enamored with it. I don’t normally give up like this, but the voice was too strident to ignore.

But I need courage and conviction to discard something I have invested many hours in. Some of the phrases excite me, whilst others make me smile. But overall there lingers disappointment in my soul. Where did I go wrong? I feel the sub plots are insipid and the characters lack some attributes that are necessary to love and loathe them.

It’s not a case of killing my darlings, but rather annihilating the whole community. Am I brave enough?

Over the past few days an idea has been burgeoning in my head, and I’m warming to it. So far I only have the bare bones of the story, it requires much fleshing out before I can commit to it. I don’t wish to find myself in this position again. How many hours can I truly waste?

Of course I’ll keep the last novel as I may be able to salvage something from it further down the line. But for now the file is firmly clamped shut.   Long live the new WIP!

I hope the Words are truly Flowing for you, dear One & All..