An Adriatic Retreat

A few weeks ago, as I was trying to repair my tent for another three months in the wilds on Arran, I got mail from a friend in Croatia. I was invited to house-sit at a beautiful location on the Island of Brac. I've done this before and, much as I'd steeled myself for the adventure ahead, writing has to come first.

The fact that it is gorgeous here, comfortable and is within hailing distance of good friends, has nothing to do with my decision to jump tent.

So, I sit here looking over a secluded forest and down to the sea. The work is flowing well. Yesterday, I cut 60K words from Dreamwords. That is the size of a small novel. For some time now, I've been worried that the book is too long. It's a fine balance. Until now, I could not see how to make the story flow and still be tight. I'd finished it and yet was unhappy about that one aspect. Surely it could be tighter without losing the texture and depth that shape the characters that drive it all. At last, I realised that I could cut a whole element of the storyline, complete with the characters populating it. By giving some of the tasks and plot-points to existing players, they are enriched and the overall sense of their world is unaffected.

Thus, I find myself revisiting the whole shape of the book, wielding the delete key with utter ruthlessness no matter how it offends my sensibilities. I will need to write a little more and pay close attention to filling in the gaps that are sure to appear, but, I am certain that, in performing such a drastic surgery, I am making less become much, much more.

To work...