Have you heard the term ‘passive voice’? I don’t mean quiet people, or even passive aggressive people, though I’ve met quite a few in my 56 years. Passive voice is a writing term. A little like that author voice, that sets the scene…sometimes it goes on and on and on…
I’ve written a Christmas cozy mystery, with a little magic infused through it. When I went back to edit it, I cringed so much. My author passive voice was far too prominent, dominant. I was setting the scene, telling you about Jane, why she lived in Misty Vale, all about her life. Instead, I could have, should have been showing you, through my words.

She gulped, her palms sweaty as she hid behind the tree, every inch of her body in flight mode. Fighting wasn’t an option. Her response, honed after many years of fear, was to run. Jane hadn’t realised she’d moved until she heard the rhythmic pounding of her feet on the pavement.

It’s been slow editing, of the 50 000 plus words. I’m only up to page 20. I haven’t kept a copy of the original words, before I cut long passages from the story. If the words are meant to be there, they’ll find another way.
This is one of the reasons why authors, and other creatives suffer from imposter syndrome. We find mistakes and do our best to fix them. Then we doubt our ability. This choice, to write words for others to read, is not for the faint hearted.

Can I do this? Is it meant to be? Can I mend my past mistakes, push through the fear and make it work? Surely I deserve happiness as much as the next middle-aged, divorced, private investigator.

Happy Monday folks!