But it's going to have writing sharp enough to qualify, if I have to nip, backtrack, rethink, and rewrite for the next few decades, one stinkin' syllable at a time. That's not to say whether this ms will ever have the uniqueness to qualify for shelf space. But I'm telling you, this kind of revision is what makes the difference between something that belongs in a drawer and something that is fit to sit on a shelf. If I tried to explain this to a wannabe writer who has never done a true rip-your-guts-out revision, they wouldn't understand. If I don't nip the branching-off in the bud every time it starts, I'm going to end up with an unpublishable piece of crap. This story could branch off in a hundred ways, and every one of those ways could branch off in a hundred other ways. So every little time I get off track, it's BAD. What's changing is everything else: wording, pacing, characterization, tone, depth, theme. The same basic things are happening in the same basic order. Today I read about half of that, made some corrections, and typed most of them in. So I printed out the first 30 or so pages. Elsewhere by Gabrielle Zevin.Last night I realized that if I just kept on moving forward this morning, I'd get fuzzily off track and spin my wheels.

If you liked this, try this: Night Road by A.M. Jenkins has created a venue for considering not just human life but the concepts of good versus evil, and the afterlife. Through Kiriel’s thoughts and experiences, A.M. Who will like this book?: Those who appreciate a witty, thought-provoking, fast-paced book. But human life is not just about experiencing materialistic pleasures: Kiriel must also deal with the people in Shaun’s life including his divorced mother, isolated and angry little brother, the school bully, and the girl who has secretly been nursing a crush on Shaun. Ketchup, baths, writing utensils, and fruit loops are just a few experiences Kiriel relishes. Once in Shaun’s body, Kiriel gets a chance to experience what he has only been allowed to observe. And, Kiriel’s idea of a vacation involves hijacking the body of Shaun, a human just seconds away from being crushed to death by an oncoming car. Sound familiar? The twist is that Kiriel is a fallen angel and his thankless job is reflecting back, rather like a mirror, all the misery and guilt that tear up and torment souls in hell.

Summary: Kiriel is getting tired of his thankless job and is in desperate need of a little vacation.

Repossessed by A.M. Jenkins