Writing is hard. I have some bad habits, and they are so easy to fall back into.

1) I over-describe things sometimes. Don't need to say what the chains on the ceiling fan does. Just say the chains. Period.

2) Narrator's talking, and he doesn't sound natural. Too stilted, too formal. Go for a more normal way of speaking. Read it aloud if you can't figure it out.

3) Work on dialogue. Do people really talk like that?

4) Don't be so WORDY!!!!

5) Are you going off subject? If you think you might be, you probably are. Don't worry so much about telling the backstory, etc. Tell the NOWSTORY.

6) Don't be a pompous ass of a writer. ("Nowstory"? Holy crap. I have my work cut out for me.)

Tonight I revisited chapter 2 even as I was a page or so into chapter 3. I knew something was off about chapter 2, and mentioned it to G & T. G read it and confirmed my worries... it was shifting back towards old Zachary territory again. FUCK! It's so easy to get back into that shitty, boring way of telling this story.

What I have to do is remember the tone and pace of chapter 1, always. I was on to something with that. I can continue it, it will just take a little discipline and vigilance to make it happen.

Back to work.