So I have not been writing about my writing of late. It's rather depressing, actually. I do have poems out to one review, and perhaps today I'll get together some packets for other submissions. But I am having a bit of difficulty on the novel. I have been reading a book on writing romances, and the author emphasizes how the problem, solution, and obstacle must be clear before the story can come together. The other novel writing book I am reading stresses that the action must be bigger than life, and so I am afraid that my plot is too mundane and boring. I've thought of a way to make it "bigger" by involving something like a secret government project, but now it sounds forced and stupid. The romances I've worked on have not set up some radically great problem, and they are published works, so I might just plod along and see where it goes.

I do have to write out a much more fleshed-out background for my characters so that I can write them fully in the book. That might be what I work on today. Also, the opening chapter is full of background scenes; there's no real tension or drama until the beginning of chap. 2, so I think that has to change.

Honestly, I think I am way overthinking this thing. (As I tend to do with everything.) Some of the romances I've read can't keep one character name the same throughout the whole book, so I have to remember to write for the reader and not for me if my goal is publishing. *sigh* The challenge is to make sure I write what I like while keeping it "formulaic" enough for an agent. My friend at work thought that I might end up like a Margaret Mitchell the way things are going ... one book that took forever. I hope not.