Am almost afraid to tempt the gods by saying the writing is going well.  But it is!  Two more characters appeared complete with names.  Not major characters yet there they were with their little faces, their personalities and their motivations -- all to add their bits as the story, hopefully, swells to a compelling crescendo.  Before the satisfying denouement?  Still a long long way to go.  Can't just decide to wrap things up in a neat package and deliver it with another couple thousand words.  

As I write I do go back and insert things to make sense of things as I discover them.  The first major edit will require major rewriting and additions to flesh out the major characters, especially Yorgla and Ashur.  I'm getting to know them as I write them.  They didn't arrive fully formed.  Now I'm getting a handle on who they are.  It's probably an awkward way to do things.  My next book (!) might be easier in that regard.  Or not.

What is incredible is the changes we have all made in the Writers Group.  Practice does improve things (except in my guitar playing).  All of us have undoubtedly learned a lot in the past two years - just because we kept at it.  Now we have been together so long (I missed 8 or 9 months) there is trust so we can honestly say what does or does not work in the piece we hear that day.  No ones feelings get hurt.  It is all constructive and comes from a well meaning heart.  

Another thing which has changed for me is fear.  This year has illustrated what is important and what is not.  Being nervous while reading my work is low on the importance list.  Wasting good energy in knocking knees and sweaty pores just isn't worth it.  So I read my stuff, I'm not nervous.  I've slowed down so people can actually understand me.  Before I read like a Japanese Bullet Train.  Now - I'm even speaking the speaking parts with a little bit of differentiation.   Who knew.  

An old(ish) lady and still learning.  Goodo!