Proofreading and Singing

I have four more chapters to proofread by reading out loud. I only did a couple yesterday because I could feel my voice straining, and I had choir in the evening. I've got the solo in this Sunday's piece, and it's really challenging, with a lot of very high wailing, so I didn't want to wear out my voice before rehearsal. I'm taking it slow in the reading because of this, with frequent breaks. That's why it's taken me so long. Maybe in the future I should avoid the conjunction of a choir solo and the read-aloud proofread phase.

At least I learned I won't have to do that solo as a solo for the early service, so I won't be singing As at 8:30 in the morning while wrangling kindergarteners, who are also singing in the early service.

I really need to make a habit of practicing my upper range. Singing second soprano in choir means I usually don't sing those notes, and then I get rusty. When I first started working on this piece, I was straining a bit, and now those notes come easily.

Meanwhile, I think I'm at the point where I'm going to force myself to call a halt to the developmental research reading for the next Rebel book. I may do specific research that may be needed once I have a better sense of where I'm going with it, but this is research to get ideas. I did have a synopsis for this book, from back when I was working on the proposal for the first one, but the second one went way off-plan, which had such a ripple effect that what I had planned for book 3 is now no longer viable. There are some things I may be able to salvage, but the structure is going to have to change significantly.

This weekend, when I'm not singing, I plan to do some major brainstorming sessions, and I'd like to start drafting next week. And then I can start the research reading for the next book. Ideas for that are already popping into my head.