I started my book over. Why? Because I was struggling with the middle because I lacked something in the beginning. I had a map, pieces and  parts, but my anchors were not drilled down into the plot.

Where were my anchors? Floating out there in the vast wasteland of Rachel Hauck’s imagination. Er, I mean the beautiful tundra, wild and free, of Rachel’s mind. A-hem.

There are some components of this story that are just hard for me. I’ve never been a cooking show host. Never even been on TV. Well, once, when I was five, on a Tulsa kiddy show. I kept changing seats with the kid next to me. Or was she the one moving all around? Focus! Focus!

Anyway, I remained on the surface of the story with moments of diving-deep, but last week I came up with a new opening line. This is my litmus test. I write a new opening line and if suddenly I can see the path, where to go, then I keep going. When I did that last week, next thing I new, chapter one was rewritten.

My anchors were starting to sink down.

What are the anchors? Emotional thread, Physical thread (plot), Spiritual thread and Romantic thread. Also, what each protagonist — hero and heroine — were facing.

I’m still struggling a bit, but I’m getting there. I know where I’m going, I just have to figure out how to get there.

Some times you might be struggling because your anchors are not thrown overboard being allowed to sink down into the water of your heart and mind.

The answer is to keep writing. Keep thinking.

Next week, I’ll talk about my “The Proposal” moment!