This week I realized that because of insufficiently clear character motivations, I wasn't going to be able to finish the draft. I'm trying to write a very tightly woven plot, but the problem with tight plots (which I hadn't realized before) is that if the setup isn't right, the ending, where all the strands are supposed to fall perfectly into place, won't happen. So, I'm back at the beginning, and hopefully this time, I'll get things right enough to make it to the end! I'm very hopeful, since I feel like I have the clearest view of the story as a whole that I've ever had.
And, in joyful news, a character was born tonight! In my previous draft, I had a character who was a sort of stock elderly mentor type with a small role. Hoping for something a little less like cardboard, I poked him vigorously, and he suddenly metamorphosed into an utterly different personality - younger, fatter, and bubbling over with resentment. I have to admit that I wasn't entirely pleased at first - the initial wash of his personality was so strong that I thought he would try and elbow his way into a larger role in the story, and there is no room! But once I stopped yelling at the computer screen and settled down to work, he slipped into his niche and transformed a wobbly, melodramatic scene into something that I think is very solid. Huzzah!
Congratulations. I always find writing incredibly rewarding and also frustrating. Love hate love hate love hate.
ReplyDeleteHa! It sounds like you are on the right path with your WIP and I TOTALLY get what you mean about your character! Isn't that so funny when that happens??
ReplyDeleteAre you going to the meeting tomorrow??