Last week as I considered putting this new story aside, I ran a word count. 76,261 words. divided by 390 words/page equals 195 pages. I ran the numbers again and made certain I was using the correct words per page for a 5.5 x 8.5 paperback – Garamond 11 font.

Darn! That changed my perspective. If I have 195 pages of garbage, surely there is something here to salvage after all. I’ve done no edits except for a few changes with dates of particular events – moving them up a few years here, shifting some to the end for the plot line.

So now here I am once again. Trying to complete a first draft to send to my editor and to discuss with a few beta readers. In the past as I wrote scene after scene the book wrote itself to a certain extent. But I want this novel to be the best I can possibly write. I want it to jump to the head of the pack – way superior to my previous three.

So I am months, perhaps another year, away from completion, but 195 pages is just too much effort to throw out for now. It may still wind up in the trash heap, but I guess it’s worth another month of hard work.

I have a title at least (Jumpers) and major and minor characters (Sarah, David, Paulie, Stephen, Maggie) and some great scenes (I think). Hopefully they will morph into chapters and then into a complete novel. Time will tell. Fingers crossed.