Noor, either you're going to learn a lot or you're going to overwhelm yourself -- speaking as one self-overwhelmer to another...
It sounds like you're on the right track regarding adding the depth of character. Not knowing what the scene is, maybe having them reflect on what's happening or reveal some internal conflict about it.
Noor, either you're going to learn a lot or you're going to overwhelm yourself -- speaking as one self-overwhelmer to another...
It sounds like you're on the right track regarding adding the depth of character. Not knowing what the scene is, maybe having them reflect on what's happening or reveal some internal conflict about it.
In regard to the scene you keep re-writing -- does my article on writing strong scenes help? Are you asking yourself what the main point of the scene is? What the character wants and what will happen if they don't get it? Would using other sensory details beyond sight help?
Perhaps you can go back to another book that has the depth of character like you're trying to add and see how they did it will help.
That's great you're going to be doing the San Fran WDW - I like Chuck. I'll be an attending agent at a few WDW this year both in person and on line. Just not San Fran... that would've been fun :)
Thanks so much for these encouraging comments Renee! Your scene writing articles do help. And the scene revision course has helped me ensure I include all the critical pieces--ground the reader in space, reveal the goal, set up obstacles to build tension, even more tension, and end with a resolution or a cliff hanger. I'm getting better at finding moments to include interiority and getting the narrator's voice (the ms is third person limited) to sound more like my character. It's slow work, but Im making progress.
I am trying to read more books with prose and structure that I admire so I can reverse engineer how the authors did it. Reading with that intention seems to be its own skill. But it is fruitful.
Glad WDW is a good one, wish you were coming by SF! If you're ever in town for a writer event (or any other reason) it would be awesome to connect IRL.
Noor, either you're going to learn a lot or you're going to overwhelm yourself -- speaking as one self-overwhelmer to another...
It sounds like you're on the right track regarding adding the depth of character. Not knowing what the scene is, maybe having them reflect on what's happening or reveal some internal conflict about it.
In regard to the scene you keep re-writing -- does my article on writing strong scenes help? Are you asking yourself what the main point of the scene is? What the character wants and what will happen if they don't get it? Would using other sensory details beyond sight help?
Perhaps you can go back to another book that has the depth of character like you're trying to add and see how they did it will help.
That's great you're going to be doing the San Fran WDW - I like Chuck. I'll be an attending agent at a few WDW this year both in person and on line. Just not San Fran... that would've been fun :)
I know this isn't easy, but I know you can do it.
Thanks so much for these encouraging comments Renee! Your scene writing articles do help. And the scene revision course has helped me ensure I include all the critical pieces--ground the reader in space, reveal the goal, set up obstacles to build tension, even more tension, and end with a resolution or a cliff hanger. I'm getting better at finding moments to include interiority and getting the narrator's voice (the ms is third person limited) to sound more like my character. It's slow work, but Im making progress.
I am trying to read more books with prose and structure that I admire so I can reverse engineer how the authors did it. Reading with that intention seems to be its own skill. But it is fruitful.
Glad WDW is a good one, wish you were coming by SF! If you're ever in town for a writer event (or any other reason) it would be awesome to connect IRL.
Sounds like a plan, Noor. I love San Fran. I used to go all the time when I lived in San Diego.