Lisa, you are making impressive progress! Especially because beginnings seem to be harder than anything else. Once you get that beginning going, even if you decide to completely rewrite it later, it brings momentum and that makes everything easier. I am also very intrigued by how you're going around your local region, experiencing things, and then working that into the plot. Elleise, I hear you about being afraid to start a writing project. I think it goes back to beginnings again and how hard it is to get started. Once the momentum gets going, it gets easier. Congrats on doing your project! As for me, I just read through the beginning of a paranormal romance I have started, and the interactions between the two main characters seem a little flat. So I'm going to rewrite and concentrate on what they would really say to each other upon first meeting. For me, dialog is the easiest way to climb into a story and get it moving. Maybe because I talk a lot in real life. :D