As I mentioned before I am deep into edits of A Cornish House. I have reworked the first fifty pages heavily slashing them by twelve pages. In doing this I was aiming to improve pace. I think I am about half way there. However as I do I was browsing blogs and yet again Michelle Styles hit me over the head in her post here - (couldn't get it to link directly but it's the 29/3/08 post). However it was Michele's answer in the comments that has been thwacking me over the head:
"...unless a character is forced to chose, she can not have a conflict. Conflict comes in choice. Sometimes, goals/purposes change."
So in my head I have been really thinking about what choices has Madde been making. Have I thrown enough at her? The answer to that is no and certainly not enough in the first fifty pages. Not enough is at risk yet. Have pity on the poor woman as I don't know what I am going to do to her yet!
5 comments:
That's a very good point. I shall have to remember 'choices' as I'm rewriting RP.
I've been pondering this too. I'm studying a novel written in a similar style to the one I'm (attempting) to write, and I've noticed that something happens to the main character in every chapter, which forces her to DO something, or at least consider doing something. I've been getting bogged down with 'back-story' and need to start dropping bombshells instead!
Yes, Debs- this writing lack is hard isn't it!
Bombshells! I need more of them - poor characters but we must not take pity on them Karen :-)
I have the same problem Liz. At the moment my main character is watching other peoples' conflicts and has very little of her own. Time for some adjustment I think. Now what to throw at her?;-)
We can't let life pass our heroines by, can we....(clue evil laugh!)
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