I’ve recently discovered a glaring weakness of mine–avoidance. When I reach a point in the story where I am at a loss, I just avoid the issue. Usually by surfing or messing around with my website (silly, I know. A fab website does not make a writer be.)
One of my cp’s suggested I add a chapter to show some of the happenings that take place during a six week jump in my ms. Now, she said it wasn’t necessary to add it, and I agree, but she pointed out what a marvelous opportunity it would be to show off the intrepidness and strength of the heroine, and I agree with that too. So I sat down to write the chapter.
And stared and grumbled and surfed and cleaned the kitchen and groused and you get the idea. :doze:
By three o’clock I’d accomplished about a page and a half. I realized then that I’d avoiding addressing the six weeks because I couldn’t create that time in my mind and have it flow. The hero and heroine are apart, my strongest skill is in having them interact together (That one’s for you, Cece! 
)
Could I just scrap the idea of adding the chapter? Certainly, but the reasons for writing it are valid and frankly, I could use the added word count. But added words that are choppy and disjointed distract from the pacing and lose the reader. (I hate when that happens to me in books.) But I was determined and by the end of the day, I’d completed 10 pages I’m reasonably happy with and I still have another chapter to write, so my dogged avoidance turned into two chapters.
But I’m dreading writing the next chapter, hemming and hawing and blogging so that I can put it off as long as possible, until guilt finally forces me to tackle the task. :blush:
Uhm. I have no writing goals for the weekend.:P
However, I have faith that you can push through and do those chapters. Good on you for how much you’ve already done!
And remember two words while pushing on…FIRST DRAFT. We can always fix them up to make the flow and pace fit once you get them written!
on August 21st, 2004 at 10:13 pm
Said Cece who is stalling after she set a goal of editing 50 pages today
I’ve done seven. It’s 2 PM here.
on August 21st, 2004 at 11:50 am
So you’re in the procrastinator’s club, too! I was going to call a meeting but figured I’d do it later. I am the queen of partial ms’s for this very reason.
I know, I know, back to the book.
on August 21st, 2004 at 4:49 am