Choreography

First I want to say that since this blog is now linked to Facebook and amazon I may be repeating things that I've said before (not that I don't anyway, and hopefully sometimes with a new slant).

I think I'll also stick more with On Writing and Publishing (and READING) than with personal stuff -- though I consider myself a writer, my primary being, and talking about my writing and plot etc. will be natural. Weather, car problems, and even the cats will probably not appear as often.

So, Choreography. I've recently read a couple of books where the choreography wasn't kept straight, something later in the book disconnected with something earlier. As a reader this bothers me, but as a writer I just sigh and shake my head. Things change in the drafts, in requests from the editor, in copy edits and final page proofs. If the same people have been reading the ms. the whole time, they might not catch it.

No author wants disconnects, wants set ups that go awry or aren't paid off, want little changes in storyline that doesn't follow through. More, if they see it, they wince, at least I do, and I was recently emailed about an error that happened over a few books.

Again, be aware that you are reading something in a few hours/days that it took an author months or years to craft. Just the thought of that can usually have me cutting an author a break on choreography.

So, yes, I am disappointed in books where something is screwed up and horrified if a flaw that I thought I fixed didn't get done, or if I forgot something despite my notes.

But the wonderful thing about books and stories is that they tell of the human condition and we are all very human.

May you enjoy all your connections today.
Robin