Interrupting my plan to describe  the protocols of my writer workshops, I am pleased to report once again how cutting a manuscript to required measurements is always possible.

In the plan to enter a contest which requests the first 20 pages of a novel ready for publication plus a ONE PAGE synopsis, I have spent the past three days trying to synopsize this novel.  Its genre is :"Mature Romance," My heroine, a freelance writer/photographer is surviving the loss of a devoted husband; is kidnapped in her own car during a photo assignment, deals with boomerang children, a match maker dear friend, overtures from a past love, the challenge of falling in and out of love with a married friend, and the loss in an auto accident of her dearest woman friend.  How to summarize all of this, blending emotion with facts in the fewest words possible , and still imply the happy ending, without describing it specifically,.has been my challenge.

 By today with a few more hours I have cut two and one-half double space pages to the required one.  Yes, I reduced the type size and the spacing from double to 1 1/2.  What did I cut:?  phrases such as "After  that. . ."   to simply stating what happened.    "She avoided telling. . . to "Avloiding. . . " etc.  Words can glue themselves into your Ms where they don't have to stay.  I'm "memorializing" those words today as I retire them to their "happy hunting ground."  Tomorrow I resume workshop suggestions.  Willma .