This 'n That Thursday: Tip on Saving Lily Blossoms, Critique Groups, Re-writing

Rubrum lily

Good morning to ya'. I know you may not be reading this in the morning, but I am writing it on Thursday morning. A glorious summer morning. I'm sharing this photo of a Rubrum lily taken this week in a flower bed in back of our house. This gorgeous lily had at one time, 18, yep 18, blossoms and buds on the one stem. I never took the time to take a photo of that stem in all its glory, and I'm sorry, but the blooms and buds still on the stem are still breath-taking and the buds have a promise of more beauty to come. 

TIP: If you have lilies, removing the pollen from the center of the flower will lengthen the blooming time and reduce the smudging of the petals with the pollen. We call this "picking the lilies' nose." Remember this tip for Easter time when the Easter lilies are filling your room with their sweet fragrance. 

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My WIP: Critique Groups

My Work in Progress (WIP) received a jolt of energy after sharing the first chapter with a couple of authors this week. Working on a manuscript can become so absorbing that after awhile, you need a break and time to come up for air. Get back in touch with reality and there's no better way to do that than to share the writing with a crit group.

Getting together in person or online with fellow writers can give you the shot in the arm you really need to keep going. Of course some groups can really get you down too, so don't go there. Critiques should be done gently. If a member has a problem with a ms, the member can point it out, but should have suggestions to correct what she perceives as a problem.

Thankfully I am blessed to be associated with writers who can do this for me. And by sharing that first chapter this week, that's what happened. Their excitement about the chapter was contagious and now I'm rip roarin' ready to get that re-writing done. 

Another benefit of critique groups is the camaraderie shared in the meeting. We meet for coffee, share our lives, and just enjoy conversation with real human beings. It's like a breath of fresh air to escape for a bit.

Re-Writing 

I asked questions yesterday about the methods of re-writing from the many wonderful authors on the Insecure Writers Support Group. Please take a look at their in-depth answers  in yesterday's post on how they go about re-writing their stories. So interesting. I really appreciated their taking time to give so much information about their process. 

Next week I plan to have several chapters of the funeral home story ready and available for you to take the first peek. Yes, I'm fired up!!

Have a grand day/evening whether you are just beginning it, in the middle of it, or getting ready to settle in for the night.

Are you in a critique group? Has that been a good experience for you? Share your process of re-writing with us. If you're a reader, do you like to know the author's process of getting that story done and published?