In addition to writing novels I like to dabble in freelance writing in a wide variety of topics.  Earlier this year I was given the opportunity to contribute a monthly column in an e-zine, Extra Innings, published by my friend, teacher and mentor Marshall Cook.  The electronic rag is dedicated to writing, writers and those supporting writers.  For years Marshall published a hardcopy newsletter called Creativity Connection and after retiring from the UW-Madison several years ago Creativity Connection morphsized into Extra Innings, a perfect title given Marshall’s love for both real and fantasy major league baseball, home league baseball and vintage base ball. My column is called:  Payers, Preyers, and Pretenders which was named by Marshall after telling him stories of my journey to have MURPHY’S TROUBLES published.

You can subscribe to Extra Innings free by sending your e-mail to:  join-creativity-connection @ lists.wisc.edu – just send a blank e-mail.  You’ll get a response e-mail giving you the site to access Extra Innings.

What is deep revision in a novel?  Deep revision occurs after your draft is complete, you set it aside for a few weeks and then read it from start to finish.  In the reading you’re looking for what moves the story along, what stalls the story, is the timeline consistent, are the characters authentic and believable.  This isn’t copy editing.  With MURPHY’S TROUBLES by deep revision was to kill off a character early in the book.  I had written a relationship between the protagonist, Ian Murphy and his school days friend, Timolty Doyle.  While interesting to me their friendship through adulthood didn’t move the story along, in fact it stalled it.  My solution?  I had Timolty die in an IRA bombing in Belfast when he’s 20.  Ian mourning his friend’s death wants revenge and joins the IRA.  My deep revision was to have Timolty’s death motivate Ian to action which moves the story in the direction it needed to take.