A letter to Meljean from Meljean’s Brain.

Dearest, dearest Meljean,

Saying this is going to hurt me more than it hurts you, but you’ll thank me for it later.

Here’s the thing: You’re an idiot.

You know better than this. This has happened with every book. You know that when you’re stuck writing, not really going forward, and each freaking word is like stabbing your eyes with Satan’s ragged and burning toenails, that SOMETHING IS WRONG WITH THE STORY.

This week? A waste. Because you stuck to your original plotline instead of realizing that when you tweaked the last scene and introduced some information a little earlier than you planned — a change that was needed, by the way — you didn’t adjust the rest of the chapter.

And what would you have ended up with? A plodding, stupid, too long and unnecessary scene that muddies the plot and introduces another part of the conflict TOO EARLY. Hinting here is good. Throwing it out is not.

I was trying to tell you, but stupid you wouldn’t listen to me. This is what happens when you try to write without me. Idiot. Now go kill some vampires, because that’s what this scene really needs.

— Your Brain