I am a clothes horse.  There.  I’ve admitted it.  And not at a private, closed-door, members only meeting.  Oh, no.  I’ve shouted my admission out to the entire universe!  Well, the blogosphere, anyway, which is pretty much the universe.

A few weeks ago, author friend Jamie Brazil issued a harder than hard challenge, one that I wasn’t sure I was up to taking on.  (Gulp. Thanks, Jamie.  I owe you.)  But it was either accept it or run the risk of being labeled a wuss the next time she laid eyes on me.  And no way was that happening!

The challenge: pare down my closet just like she did, and then write a blog post about it.  In Jamie’s case, her goal was to have no more than 100 pieces of clothing.  And while she was successful, I’m not going there.  *Snort*  As. If.  But I did manage to justify parting with a few things: 2 pairs of jeans, 2 blouses, and 4 sweaters.  And a dress. . .. Maybe.  Still not sure about that one. . ..

I have to admit, a week later, regret runs deep, even with the clothes still neatly folded in a donation box in the garage and not actually out of the house.  Yet.

I mean, what if I need that polka-dot blouse again?  What if it’s the only thing that would go with a particular pair of pants?  Or skirt?  Or maybe *gasp* it’s the perfect match to a pair of shoes I’d forgotten about but will eventually unearth?  Then what?  It’s not like I can go hunt it down again.  So I haven’t worn it in awhile.  Big deal!  It’s not like it’s the only piece to have that distinction.  *innocently looks up at ceiling and whistles while she snatches a price tag off a dress she’d forgotten about*  Is it my fault I have choices?

Never mind, don’t answer that.  Especially if you’re a dude.  Specifically, the dude I woke up with this morning.  (Hi, honey!)

I have to admit that the process of sorting through my closet has forced me to think about story – what it is that’s essential, what’s too much, and what has to be given away cut from the pages.  It’s made me think about how tight and clean a manuscript is once all the extras are gone.  And it’s definitely made me think about making every sweater word count.  This is what my readers expect, and this is what I aim to deliver.

And honestly?  I think I do a better job paring down a story and should leave my closet alone.  Which means I should grab that box out of the garage and put my clothes back where they belong.  Right?  🙂

-Melia