I cannot pinpoint the words he wrote that ate away at my mind … but one day I realized that my protagonist, who is an educated woman and a retired NTSB (National Transportation Safety Investigator), has started out as a complacent wimp!
While I wanted to leave her room to grow, I realized that anyone reading chapter one would be thinking… so, another depressed woman, in the kitchen, husband ignores her, kids keep her busy, kitchen is a mess that mirrors her life, blah, blah, blah. Who cares? What’s exciting about that? Nothing!
Where is the edge? I realized there is no edge. So… my first chapter is going to be revamped. And Kathryn is not going to be a wimp. Instead she will be withholding a secret from her husband. She’ll be openly pissed about where she allowed her life to go, but not with a victim mentality. She will have some fight in her. Oh…and that husband, he’s currently too much of a “typical” jerk. While he drives his wife crazy, he will no longer ignore her while he plays with her mind and drives her towards the edge. Oh… the boring kitchen scene is getting spiced up.
Where can you put the edge into your novel?
Write on!
Karlene
I'm going through a similar journey with the Maass book right now. It's so much fun to watch the characters grow. My main character started out too happy and lucky. I had to add some tragedy to her life to make her someone people can relate to.
ReplyDeleteLOL. Isn't that Maass book the best? Congrats on finding the edge! I recently re-read that book - while writing a first draft, instead of on my nth draft, so that I wouldn't have that experience of ... oops! Not done!
ReplyDeletePortia, I am so glad not to be doing the journey alone! Didn't you love Maass book? I am on my second read through. Meeting him next week, and because of him... I'm not ready to pitch to him. And... I'm going to tell him that too. lol.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment!
Yes Carolyn... The best! I think it is much better to find that edge before I meet Maass than after. You were smart during your first Draft. I say for me... better late than never. And I love the work. I think the next draft will be really good. How many rewrites can KP do? Let me count the numbers... lol
ReplyDeleteGreat point. I read that book too and figured out mine was about the same way--so important to make the character different and not be cliche.
ReplyDeleteMy struggle too...
ReplyDeleteGo Karlene! I love this new idea. Empower your protagonist! Just don't forget to give her room to complete her character arc. I know you'll pull it off brilliantly!
ReplyDeleteThanks Terri... I am glad I wasn't the only one! Both my main characters were very cliche. And I don't think we're supposed to write them.... or have them star in our novels. lol.
ReplyDeleteLela... I love your characters! We can struggle together in Tulsa! See you next week.
ReplyDeleteThanks Heather... that's why she was so wimpy before. For the arc. But... I'm thinking there is always room to grow! She's growing in a way that we all face... we forget to appreciate what we have, until we almost lose it all. Thanks for your comment!
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