Author, Kristen Lamb’s blog post about premature editing of a manuscript intrigued and…sigh…relieved me. Without guilt, I will return to my natural style which is like building a burger. Here’s the recipe.

Build a Burger Book

     Meat between the bun is the first and most important step.

• Fashion a plot patty and cook with scenes until done to your taste.
• Upon completion of the burger, deluxe or mini, you may need to top with a subplot of bacon or mushrooms.
• Lettuce and tomato seem subtle but add interest to a burger like descriptive gestures and scene settings.
• And what’s a burger without mustard or alternate spicy condiment.
• Spoon on a bit of sarcasm, humor, or sexy jalapeños to help make your burger unique.

Like building a burger, layering is a way to deepen POV, add subtleties, and strategic lines of backstory. For pansters (like me) this may be the time when a subplot pets your sub-conscious on its head. So, before over pruning your first chapters like a Crepe Myrtle build a burger. Afterward, if you don’t like the pickles and onions they are easily tossed – my dog likes to catch em!

Speaking of meat between the bun…in my pre-published novel, Hot as Blazes, Jo’s first stop after returning from Cally is a surfside burger haunt for her first taste of home.  Its namesake, The Dune Burger, has been around since the ‘70s. Located in Nags Head on the Outer Banks, you’ll have to double fist their deluxe “Dune” burger. Oh, and don’t forget the shake!