Spent yesterday puttering around in the Paris section. That section is really missing something, but I don't know what it is yet. I'm hoping it'll come to me in a flash. I know it's something that will break up the pacing and rhythm of scene after scene of dialog, something heavier that makes a stronger point. Maybe something firmly grounded in scene--I dunno. It just feels too floaty right now.

The question is, since I'm a little bit at loose ends, should I print out and read through some of this from the beginning? I'm thinking yes. If not, I'll just be wandering around anyway, and it doesn't feel like I'm going to get a grip on the story by doing that. It feels like I'm at a point where I can spend hours working and afterwards find that every word I wrote is just as clueless as I am.

I also need to rewrite the sample chapter, per request. My current game plan is to revamp the style and come at it more externally--cut the character development, basically, and try to concentrate on concrete, in-scene details while keeping a quick pace.

Hmm, more thoughts re. former GN: The middle section is still up in the air. My gut feeling is that it might take a layoff for me to start seeing what I need to do to it. I don't want to lay off; I want to work right through and get a complete first draft. However, there's no point in forcing it if it's not ready to come. Well, I'll try reading some and see what happens. I hope it doesn't suck. There's a good chance it does, though. Ugh.