Cook Soup Before Serving

When I wrote my first novel it was as though I were possessed. I woke up most morning s around 4:30 and wrote until the kids woke around eight. I'd finished the rough draft in about six weeks.

And man, was it rough.

I spent a year and a half rewriting it.

My second novel was going to be different. This time I belonged to a writing critique group and I planned to edit as I went. I tried to write an average of one new chapter a week, while editing the previous chapter as suggestions came through the crit group.

This was working quite well...until now.

I am about 130 pages into book number two and it does read quite polished. But I've lately gone through a bout of writer's block.

Something isn't right and I can't figure out quite what it is yet. The more suggestions I get from my group, the less sure of my story I become.
Sometimes in writing, the worst thing you can get is feedback. And that time is before the story has been worked out. I'm not sure where I want to go with it and the more outside suggestions I get, the more off track of my original vision I get.

One of the things I've read time and again is to write the book first before anyone else's eyes ever see it.

I didn't think that was the way to go for me. But as I sat considering throwing my computer out the window in frustration. I think maybe that's right.

I haven't ironed out my plot, subplots among other things and these ideas need to stew in my mind without others adding their spices to the pot. Afterall, the final recipe will have my name on it.

Once the first draft is finished, back to critique group it will go.
And my editing friends will make my concoction so much more palatable than I ever could have without them.