15 January 2018

The Amazingly Difficult Chapter

Have you ever had a chapter surprise you? I've been avoiding my Chapter 13 edit for quite some time, not really knowing why. I thought it had to do with setting, one of the aspects of this book I have the most trouble with. Whenever my characters actually leave the safety of their own homes and venture out into the world, I always wonder if I'm getting it right. If mentioning locations and landmarks feels real or forced. If it would seem accurate to someone who actually lives there.

But what if that wasn't the real reason I was avoiding it? What if I didn't actually know the reason, but when I figured it out, was actually blown away? Even though it was even more difficult than I anticipated, it turned out to be a good thing.

The more I work on this story, the more I find hiding under the surface. On the surface, this chapter seems pretty basic--my characters are going on their first real "date," which ends up being at a museum. Underneath, however, are about a million different layers that I didn't even know or intend to be there. But I knew that this chapter needed even more work than I thought it did. So maybe on some subconscious level, this was why I was avoiding it.

I always knew there was a lot of symbolism in this chapter, but it seems to be even more complicated than I initially thought. This is the first real time my two characters journey out into the real world together, so there's a lot going on both internally and externally. I had to think about how they would act differently when surrounded by dozens, even hundreds of other people, when they are so used to just being by themselves. Every setting change offered different opportunities to examine that--waiting for the subway, on the train, on the street, in the museum lobby, in the Greek and Roman section, then with the European paintings, back to the street, and then back at one character's apartment at the end, to where they are once again safe. While they are awkward and silent on the subway, on the street the mood changes and they are able to talk, actually examining their past relationships with their mothers and places they've both gone with them, then by the end of the museum trip, one character has a moment of vulnerability and lets something slip that he probably shouldn't have. It's a journey that takes so many different turns that I wasn't expecting.

What I realized was that this chapter wasn't difficult--it was amazing! Well, ok, still difficult, because there is a lot to put in there. I really just thought there were only a few things to examine, but there was so much more. I found myself weaving in subplot, hinting at back story that will come into play in the next few chapters, finding ways for my characters to figure each other out.

There was so much to add in that wasn't there in the first two drafts, so I'm still working on it, of course. But I think this chapter is heading in the right direction now.

21 comments:

  1. There are parts of my book that I avoided, particularly any action scenes. It's interesting to think through what exactly is putting me off of writing those scenes. Glad you've tackled that challenging chapter and that it's going in the right direction.

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  2. I'm impressed you can see so much in it - it's potential. If symbolism exists in my stories, it was completely by accident and there's a good chance I still don't know it's there.

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  3. That's great when you can see a deeper meaning in the chapter or that it could lead to another plot problem or story direction later. It's always great to realize what you're realizing. Yay!

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  4. That does sound like an amazing chapter full of character building that reveals a lot about your characters. The deeper meanings that are woven in there will be a treat for readers. I love to sneak in symbolism and hint at future events whenever I can.

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  5. There's so much more than we even imagine. And it doesn't help that this chapter is the 13th - such a lucky number. Lol

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  6. I love it when a chapter comes together and something unexpected clicks. I often think putting a novel together is a bit like putting a puzzle together.

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  7. I love the way you used symbolism in your setting with your characters' conversation - that is so cool! Wow. Sometimes the hardest chapters end up being the best.

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  8. Cool that you found what was going on. Sounds like there's a lot of depth and that is a really important chapter.

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  9. You dug deep enough to find all of the treasure just under the surface. Now to bring it all to the surface.

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  10. Really cool. Congrats on discovering so much with your writing.

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  11. I sometimes find myself avoiding working on something, too, without knowing that's what I'm doing. Sometimes it means it's just going to be hard work and I'm not feeling up to it (lazy); sometimes it means I'm still mentally processing things and am actually not ready to write it yet.

    I love the way you talk about your writing as a voyage of discovery, finding the treasures of your own brain. Neat!

    @mirymom1 from
    Balancing Act

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  12. That's great you figured it out. Every time you talk about the book I get more curious to read it.

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  13. I've had a couple of challenging moments in my current WIP - it definitely made me dig deeper to find the real story. Well done for staying the course :-)

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  14. I love it! I like to write things in layers because that's the best way to fully flesh out a scene for me. (Layers meaning that's the focus each time I work on the scene.) A quick draft. A revision. A character revision. A setting revision. A plot/motivation revision. An emotion revision/negative to positive (or reverse) check from the beginning to the end of the chapter.

    Don't you love how a story evolves long after you type down the first words?

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  15. This is exactly why I love editing more than writing the first draft.

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  16. Woot for discovering the amazingness that's there! I know I've been avoiding certain chapters as well, but that's mostly due to the fact that I don't know what's going to happen in them, so it makes it hard to write.

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  17. I find the difficult chapters are often the best ones. Good going on figuring out what you needed to do. :-)

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  18. That's awesome you figured all that out. I find I can't avoid a chapter or a scene. I have to push through it to be able to carry on.

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  19. The chapter definitely sounds difficult, at least it would be for me to write. Glad to hear you have it under control. If this chapter has taught you anything new about your characters, then it was definitely worth it.

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  20. Well, things that are difficult are usually worthwhile. :) Glad things are getting on track - sounds like this is a pivotal chapter for your characters, revealing a lot about them. I totally sympathise with avoiding things, but it's great when you get a handle on them.

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  21. I love when that happens. Oftentimes, it's one of my CPs who notices the layers and has me seeing the chapter/scene in a completely different, and unexpected, way.

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