Monday 4 October 2010

Delete Delete Delete ...

The Novel ~ working title: Touchstone

I have now spent the last two weeks and especially the whole weekend thinking about, assessing and criticising chapters 2 and 3, Verity’s back-story. I was concerned with the sudden change in pace and tone. I re-read the chapters, mulling over family members, setting, timings, dialogue. Did Verity’s character fit into the back-ground I had created for her? Her family members appeared to be ‘real.’ Verity stood out as different from the rest of her family – enabling her to realistically carve out her career and partner Edward. So what was wrong with chapter 2 and 3?

I thought some more, avoiding reading Chapter 2 again. Then the light-bulb moment. If I didn’t want to read Chapter 2, why would anyone else? Chapter 2 was definitely boring. Too much back-story all in one place. I’ve now CUT the whole chapter for the sake of page turning quality. It hurt some but I feel free again.

Obviously, the chapter’s saved and will be fed through the narrative when necessary. I now feel I can tackle Chapter 3, 4 and maybe even 5, where Edward gets down to dirty business again and leads into Chapter 6 where his sister returns with a long kept secret.

All fired up now. Getting back to the novel. See you later,

Gillian

2 comments:

  1. Yikes! Now I've read this so much for wishing a successful re-read of Chap 2 haha; but then again maybe the removal of Chap 2 has been a 'success'? If it's meant you can now move on with the rest. From your ideas for Chap 5 and 6 it seems you now know where you're heading :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. Thank John, you've just motivated me to get going again !!!

    ReplyDelete