I've had a pretty good week. 
Last Week's Goals:
Dreamer's Rose: Let it rest.
This time I failed on this goal. I think just possibly, I might have found the way forward. I've started tentatively writing and revising on this one again.
The Shaman's Curse: Get through chapters one through five with the checklists just for characterization, pov, and dialog mechanics.
Not quite. But I did get through the first three chapters. It's pretty tough slogging sometimes. Hopefully, I'm learning something and giving this an extra shiny layer of polish before it goes out again.
The Ignored Prophecy: Revisions.
I did. I did. And before I got to those chapters for the chapter exchange, too. 
Of course, going through it again gave me ideas for a couple of other revisions, but one of those would be a major change so I need to think through its ramifications before I proceed.
Blood Will Tell: Let it rest so I can come at the revisions with a fresh eye.
Yep. Finally got the characters to take a vacation.
Other:
Well, since I got (hopefully) rolling on Dreamer's Rose again, I didn't tackle any of this miscellaneous stuff. And I'm not sorry, either.
This Week's Goals:
Dreamer's Rose:
I'm going back through what I had, roughly alternating POV chapters between my two main characters, at least at the start. This is back to its original starting point--much later than what I was struggling with--and the parts of the male MC's backstory that need to come out will be brought in as I go. I still have some of that to work out. The new, revised first thirteen are at the bottom of this post.
The Shaman's Curse:
Go through chapters four and five with the checklists for characterization, POV, and dialog. Go back to chapter one with the checklists for how it sounds, interior monologue, and beats. I'm also playing around with the query again.
The Ignored Prophecy:
Let this one rest except for the chapter exchange. I think my revision idea would improve and tighten the story. But it would have implications that would run through the whole thing. I need to think it through.
Blood Will Tell:
Continue to let it rest before going back for the revisions.
What I learned:
I kind of snuck this in in an edit to last week's update. But it really belongs here.
- I don't like writing in first person.
- I may have found at least a partial answer to how to handle Dreamer's Rose by reading THE CURSE OF CHALION by Lois McMaster Bujold and seeing how she handled a damaged hero. My story is different. But the plan of attack just might work.
Dreamer's Rose, first thirteen
Lerian watched the little cottage from the shadow of a huge maple tree. He was all dressed in browns and greens himself, so he was sure that the woman and her daughters could not see him. He watched the three of them plant their tiny garden plot and go about the daily business of a small, isolated farmstead.
They were new come to this place and not used to such a life. What hardship had brought them out here? The woman’s clothes proclaimed her city-bred and used to better. A merchant’s wife or widow fallen on hard times, perhaps. She was not careful enough of her charges so close to the forest.
There were other men in the forest, rougher men, with less to lose. Well, no. No one had less to lose than Lerian did. But men who would take what they could lay their hands on.
[This message has been edited by Meredith (edited October 02, 2009).]
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