Last night, I deleted a passage because it just wasn't going to work. Here were three things against it:

(1) It introduced a character who was a stereotype more than a character,

(2) It took the plot in a direction that eliminated a motivation for one character and created an unlikely motivation for another and

(3) It negated the role played early on by a different character of the same profession.

Still, it was darned hard to delete twelve hundred words. It had taken several days to come up with them because I am struggling to give resolution to a certain plot strand in a way that is both realistic and satisfying. I felt like the fellow who is told he is going the wrong way and replies, "But I'm making such good time!"

So tonight - and particularly tomorrow night, my productive Wednesday Writing Night - I hope to get back on track. We are so close to the end of the rough draft that I can't wait.

I just want it to be worthy of my readers' time.