by Shelt Garner
@sheltgarner
Today, I finished scene two of the second draft. I spent most of the day pondering what to do about scene three. I pretty much just stared out into space dwelling on the details of scene three which was supposed to be the first switch of POV in the story. But after hours of contemplation, I realized I would punt that switch in POV one scene, staring with scene four.
As such, the new scene adds yet another scene to an already too-long story. But even though this is the second draft, I’m still early enough in the process that I can afford to write long then figure out how to cut back words later. Also, all of this is happening organically to the story, so as long it the added words make for a better story, so be it.
I continue to be interested in a second creative tract of some sort that would be my fall back story in case this novel is, on an existential basis, just too long.
This new third scene is important because it shows, from the protagonist’s POV the origins of the Daisy Jones – Billy Dunn-style hostility between herself and the character who will become the romantic male lead. In the next scene, from his POV, we will see why HE doesn’t like HER.
One thing that I continue to be reminded of is how important it is to distract myself on occasion. Some of my best ideas for this novel have come with I’ve been so busy thinking about something else that a great plot point just pops out of nowhere without me even working at it.
My immediate plans are to try to wrap up the rest of the first chapter ASAP. If I’m very lucky, I might even do it a lot sooner than you might think. I would prefer to finish the first chapter by no later than Tuesday, but that might be pushing it for various reasons.
But I have hope. I am still on track to finish the second draft no later than July 1st. Yet, I’m going to have to — HAVE TO — go outside my comfort zone at some point and push myself to write faster even when maybe I don’t really want to.
That’s the only way I’m ever going to finish this thing.
