11/08/2007

Manuscript Analysis A La Marti

Reading the rough draft of a novel is a lot like analyzing your dreams out loud.

My friend, Marti, is my first reader. She tells me what she sees, points out my errors and in general functions as my best-friendly-editor.

She should be given an extra jewel in her crown for all she does for me.



But aside from that, Marti has developed a new talent- psychoanalyst.

"Hey," she says, calling me to review some more of my manuscript. "I can tell what mood you're in when you write."

Huh?

"Well, look, at pages 78-83. Your characters swear up a storm in that section. But on pages 84-91, they're back to being nice to each other." She points out at least five more examples and as she does, I suddenly recall how I felt at the time I wrote those passages.

Damn, if she isn't 100% correct.

It's eerie the way the unconscious works.

And I'll tell you another thing too, I don't like it! This paper-thin transparency is for the birds.

But wasn't my bff smart to discover this?

I wonder what else is hidden inside my novels? All I've ever been able to spot is how often I mention coffee when I'm try to write and I'm tired...

I sure could go for a cup of coffee about now..."Marion stretched and looked longingly at her coffee pot. If only I could teach it to fetch," she thought...

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