And thus I pay for my little holiday

Before the weekend, I finished reading through the first half of my first draft, and making notes. I decided I didn't have to go back and make revisions starting at Chapter One. I felt confident I could start at the second-last chapter, and then carry on to the end. I wrote five new pages for that chapter on Friday.

Then I took the weekend off. I had a great time. And it was wonderful to get out of the house and enjoy a couple of beautiful warm and sunny days.

But alas, there is a price to pay for taking time off from the writing, and yesterday, I found out what it was for me, this time. I started working on the second-last chapter. And then...I realized I was probably going off track. I wasn't sure I was doing what I'd written in my notes, and the tone felt, frankly, off.

Yep, I had lost the momentum.

This is why writers will say you should write every day -- so this doesn't happen. But now it has, so what to do?

Open a new directory that says "second draft," and start revising from Page One, Chapter One. That's the best way I know to get back into the book. Fortunately, I have no major occasions that will require more than one day's break until the book's due -- at least for now. Even on that one day, I'm going to read through the last scene I've written, if nothing else, just to keep things fresh in my mind.

ETA: I've finished revising the first scene, and I'm glad I decided to do that. It feels so much stronger! A much firmer foundation, that's for sure.

Also, The Tudors tonight -- at last. A reviewer today compared Henry to a rock star, and the court as his groupies. Exactly, thinks I. Except that Henry had a lot more to offer his groupies/mistresses (titles, lands, money, political power) -- and their families -- than a rock star does.