Writing the Breakout Novel Workbook: 49 tasks completed out of 591 possible, 3 since 4/14
Miles walked: 4.5 since 4/14. I took the dog to the park today. She finagled a dog biscuit out of another schnauzer owner. The treat was so big, she wasn’t sure if she should eat it or bury it. She ate it, but only after carrying it around for fifteen minutes.
I’m working on Chapter 6, the Reversing Motives exercise on pages 38 and 39. I have finished three and have three to go. Sometimes, my initial motive at the beginning of a scene is weak. For example, in one place my protagonist found herself in front of her love interest by accident. Now, she goes to him with a problem, giving her a motive. Even though she chickens out and doesn’t ask for help, she feels conflict. The rewrite changed only a paragraph of the manuscript, but the entire scene is different because the tension is elevated.
In another, I discovered the protagonist has no reason to be there at all. I cut those pages, lifting the necessary exposition and dividing it between the previous and following scenes. You’d think after working on something for two years, I’d have these problems fixed, but the Breakout Novel tasks are so story specific, they shine a spotlight on the obvious–even when it’s hidden in plain sight.
And, if you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t seen this video of the Maassketeers, watch it now. There’s a reason why so many of us have become disciples. The method works.
CRISPLY SPOKEN 