The best-laid plans....

So there I was, bound and determined to forge ahead with the first draft. Yep, that was my plan and boy, I was going to stick to it! After all, I'd be doing plenty of revising at the end, so if I'd wandered too far from the Path of Synopsis, no big. I could fix it. Eventually.

And yep, I wrote yesterday, and I had notes for what I'd write today. Everything was golden, right?

Except that I sat down at the ol' computer today (and according to some, what I use to write would be an antique), and discovered that my gut was at odds with my brain.

Now granted, it could be that applesauce at lunch coupled with two helpings of peach crisp at dinner yesterday was responsible for a certain queebliness in that region, but there was more to it than that.

I have the uneasy feeling I've added at least one too many characters and subplots, and in doing so, I've wandered too far off course. If I continue, I could wind up so far away from the proposed story line, I'll never be able to find my way back.

So I'm going to read the manuscript through, list the characters, think about the plots and especially make sure I haven't added so much, the main romantic plot and the focus on the hero and heroine has been lost. I really was hoping I could just carry on, but I've decided that would be the wrong move in this case.

I've only had a few books where I knew exactly where I was going every single step of the way (and oh, what joys to write were THE NORMAN'S HEART, A WARRIOR'S BRIDE and THE OVERLORD'S BRIDE). But those are the exceptions, not the norm.

So it's back to Chapter One, Page One for me, red pen and additional paper at the ready to make what will no doubt be copious notes.