So you've probably all been watching the 'snow-mageddon' that hit the Eastern Seaboard (and other areas) over the weekend. We missed that one. Well, sort of. Instead of snow-mageddon we just got five inches. Just. Ha! Yesterday, though, another batch hit us dropping eight more inches. That's thirteen inches of snow in a little less than five days..and a little too much for my comfort. I love snow, don't get me wrong, I'm just ready for a little non-blinding sunshine. A full day with no snow shoveling or snow blowing.
I've been feeling the same way about the new manuscript. I love my characters, but I've gotten a little too bogged down in 1) their pasts and 2) the external conflict and neglected the essential romance of, well, romance. Falling in love. Falling in lust.
The problem is that I know where I've gone wrong, but I've fallen so much in love with my characters that I don't want to cut out the stuff that's weighing down the manuscript. I love the quirks that my heroine is showing, I love the annoyance my hero has for his family. I love their shared history and all the snarky comments that brings forward..and I'm having fun working on a manuscript with just a hint of suspense. But I'm at chapter five and nothing has happened. Other than snarky comments and annoyance over the past.
Sigh.
I'm off to the cutting room floor.
I've been feeling the same way about the new manuscript. I love my characters, but I've gotten a little too bogged down in 1) their pasts and 2) the external conflict and neglected the essential romance of, well, romance. Falling in love. Falling in lust.
The problem is that I know where I've gone wrong, but I've fallen so much in love with my characters that I don't want to cut out the stuff that's weighing down the manuscript. I love the quirks that my heroine is showing, I love the annoyance my hero has for his family. I love their shared history and all the snarky comments that brings forward..and I'm having fun working on a manuscript with just a hint of suspense. But I'm at chapter five and nothing has happened. Other than snarky comments and annoyance over the past.
Sigh.
I'm off to the cutting room floor.
Oh, Kristi!
ReplyDeleteExcept for the snow part, we have none, Yay, you could have been writing about me right now.
I've got to do a major rewrite. Bleh and bleh.
Once I get into it, I'll be fine...it's the getting into it that's hard. Because I'd like to just keep watching these two snark.
ReplyDeleteWell, my snowmaggedon continues - supposed to get another 20" today on top of the 2 feet we had over the weekend. Crazy! Anyway, my point is that you need to outline. Immediately. Go back and write three bullet points about what plot points occur in the chapters you've finished, then go ahead and outline the next five. Don't write another word until you give yourself a strong framework. Might help...
ReplyDeleteI'm already ahead of you Christi. I know exactly what I need to cut because I use that three-bullet-points theory in all my revisions...I just usually wait until I'm through the first draft. When i got to chapter 5 with very little forward motion, I knew I was in trouble. So I'm cutting. I'm just not really wanting to. :p
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the 20 (more) inches...we're at 15...and the blowing is beginning. bleh!!
Sorry about the snow Kristi. That why We moved from Ohio to Atlanta. Good luck with the re-write.
ReplyDeleteI'm feeling your pain, Kristi! Both the snow--my car's at the end of the lane; can't drive up--and the five chapters w/o anything happening. I know it's a corner, but it's so comfy there! And fun. And those words are all so good...
ReplyDeleteI know, Liz! It's making it so hard to cut, but I'd rather do it now than later...I'm making a folder of all my cuts...maybe I'll be able to use some later on...
ReplyDeleteShawn, I love Atlanta...and if this snow doesn't let up you may have a couch-guest, k? :)
Kristi,
ReplyDeleteI think keeping your cuts in a folder is a great idea. I know I've been able to go back and use those cuts before, sometimes is a different way, but still put those words to work.
Just a check in - I've got four full pages of cuts...and counting. But already the first 3 chapters are feeling much better!
ReplyDelete