tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post3620457841210056068..comments2024-02-12T15:15:51.364+02:00Comments on The Five Year Project: Chop... chop... chop...Misha Gerrickhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-16590322119908997372011-02-04T18:14:39.993+02:002011-02-04T18:14:39.993+02:00I've had this happen a lot!! Usually, it's...I've had this happen a lot!! Usually, it's a character suddenly appearing and me going, "Who are you? And what do you want?". I automatically get defensive and tell them they aren't invited. But they stay. They refuse to budge and I end up falling in love with them.<br /><br />Recently, as in this morning in fact, I realized that a character I'd THOUGHT was THE character for a story isn't a character at all. He's been replaced by someone else. Kind of a newer version, with a different name and back story. <br /><br />It's hard to cut characters from your story. Kudos to you for being brave enough to do so!Jenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06683486631901017529noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-36295837955549458252011-02-03T19:08:48.103+02:002011-02-03T19:08:48.103+02:00It's always difficult to think about cutting y...It's always difficult to think about cutting your characters, but sometimes it is necessary. I have a short story I'm working on right now, and I think I may need to end up cutting the MC's love interest. She takes up space that makes the story too long, but the story doesn't need her to survive. But I do want to keep her! *sigh* I may keep an alternate (longer) version of the story that keeps her. We'll see.<br /><br />Good luck with your rewrites!Jessica Ann Hillhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14131293013101275074noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-34095477868950363382011-02-03T11:11:06.645+02:002011-02-03T11:11:06.645+02:00Hi Samuel. Always a pleasure to give out rewards t...Hi Samuel. Always a pleasure to give out rewards to those that deserve it. Thanks so much for your lovely complement. :-DMisha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-18166816423067538672011-02-03T10:39:34.374+02:002011-02-03T10:39:34.374+02:00HI Mischa--
Thank you so much for the Stylish Blo...HI Mischa--<br /><br />Thank you so much for the Stylish Blogger Award! Sorry it took so long to thank you for it. So much going on in your blog! I admire your creative energy!LARCHMONThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07484862915577134235noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-78107275860246501072011-02-03T09:30:11.178+02:002011-02-03T09:30:11.178+02:00It's never happened to me before either, Bish....It's never happened to me before either, Bish. Still, I knew the moment I made the decision that it was the right one.<br /><br />That's so true, Cherie. I think my muse promised the two of them that they'll be back later in the series. ;-)<br /><br />So true, Marian. I also have characters that are pushing really hard to become main characters. I just really don't have space for them. Now they must just stay happy in their places now and I will give them bigger roles later, as was my plan. Forget firm. Sometimes I have to be ruthless. <br /><br />Theresa, I actually find that it is a lot easier. The way I see it, it's easier to navigate a hole I can see than the one I can't. :-) <br /><br />L.A. I know what you mean. That has not happened to me yet, but I once thought it would. It tore me appart. :-)<br /><br />Owl that is sad to hear. But it's great that you did realize that she had to go. :-)<br /><br />Elana I think I'll end up doing something like that with the two I cut out now. There just wasn't any good chemistry between them and my MCs. So now I will likely move them somewhere where they will have some use. I'm just glad I caught it in the rewrite. If I caught on too late, I would have had a lot more trouble to remove all knowledge/influence of the characters from the story. :-) <br /><br />WN It is very hard to do. Good luck with the edits. :-)<br /><br />Thanks Lydia! :-)<br /><br />That is very true, Maria. I realized how much I grew once I decided to let go of the two characters. It's something I would never have done before. :-)<br /><br />Shannon, it's really hard, so think very carefully about it. I'm changing a considerable part of the story by getting rid of the two characters, but it will be worth it. But, you can give him/her a bigger part too... I just couldn't because I have a big cast of characters and have to limit them to prevent future confusion. :-)Misha Gerrickhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06364173848456424521noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-39858903411197664042011-02-03T06:54:56.836+02:002011-02-03T06:54:56.836+02:00I think I may need to delete a character that was ...I think I may need to delete a character that was going to play a major role in the novel ... but didn't.Shannonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00456068019298922261noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-84852736512998999562011-02-03T05:39:25.297+02:002011-02-03T05:39:25.297+02:00When you must, you must. It's knowing that it&...When you must, you must. It's knowing that it's the right thing that makes you realize you've grown as a writer too.Maria Zanninihttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01604862636922299273noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-64108320002230577182011-02-03T03:11:04.396+02:002011-02-03T03:11:04.396+02:00Sometimes those changes are painful but for the be...Sometimes those changes are painful but for the best. I love the names of your characters. They're gorgeous!Lydia Kanghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00484415427764822386noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-58290644391187775862011-02-02T23:17:55.616+02:002011-02-02T23:17:55.616+02:00Yes, I'm in edits now and I think I might have...Yes, I'm in edits now and I think I might have a couple of those! But the good news is that you may be able to use them for later, that way the chopping isn't in vain.. it's so hard! Good luck :)WritingNuthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16326756274887055685noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-41828119853293190102011-02-02T22:41:36.665+02:002011-02-02T22:41:36.665+02:00Yes, yes! I had to cut a character from my novel c...Yes, yes! I had to cut a character from my novel completely. My agent actually spied the problem, because I didn't use him in an emotional way. Now I watch for that in every character I write. Sometimes I just have to cut them out, and use them somewhere else.Elana Johnsonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05877856005992028912noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-30813356153845044342011-02-02T22:21:53.304+02:002011-02-02T22:21:53.304+02:00Yes. I had this really awesome character that live...Yes. I had this really awesome character that lived inside my MC's mind (there was a reason for that). But after awhile the reason for this became harder and harder to keep with the story and the character herself was becoming a bother to write, cause she didn't really <i>do</i> andything. So, regretfully, she had to go :(TayLyeehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11397366587281676012noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-16006349524473896882011-02-02T20:31:14.647+02:002011-02-02T20:31:14.647+02:00I had this happen. I had to kill a beloved charac...I had this happen. I had to kill a beloved character and I did NOT want to do it. I was actually angry about it and who killed him. But I had to follow the rules and he just couldn't live and it be believable. Plus it tied up a loose end so death it was. *sigh* I'm still upset about it. ;)L.A. Colvinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02660594640480581883noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-7582478613918703632011-02-02T19:52:26.117+02:002011-02-02T19:52:26.117+02:00Rewriting is a lot more difficult than the first d...Rewriting is a lot more difficult than the first draft. Then you see all the holes. The more merciless you can be with your words, the better!<br /><br />I'd be interested in guest posting. Any specific topic your'e looking for?Theresa Milsteinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03477761307315565259noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-86179980134939912372011-02-02T18:13:24.531+02:002011-02-02T18:13:24.531+02:00Cherie is right! I have one character (Bud Blossom...Cherie is right! I have one character (Bud Blossom) who thinks he's in EVERYTHING. He's like, "Hey, I'm in that story! That's all about me." I'm like, "No, Bud, it isn't about you. It's about this other guy." "Yeah, but that guy and I are best friends." "No, Bud, you aren't. He doesn't even like you." He's like, "Conflict! Sweet!" I'm like, "NO! Go back to your houseboat and lie to somebody!"<br /><br />Sometimes, you just have to be firm!<br /><br /><a href="http://MarianAllen.com" rel="nofollow">Marian Allen</a>Marian Allenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15842321321484056422noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-73411346711216560752011-02-02T16:05:03.915+02:002011-02-02T16:05:03.915+02:00In my NaNo novel, I realized I had a couple charac...In my NaNo novel, I realized I had a couple characters take over more than was necessary to the plot and story, so when I go to rewrites, I'm taking their scenes and going to rewrite them from either another character's POV or delete the scene all together. Sometimes these things have to happen. You can always promise them a story of their own later. ;)Cherie Reichhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16663147386014122939noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5190412120537448720.post-57014881336844546572011-02-02T14:15:35.803+02:002011-02-02T14:15:35.803+02:00Haven't had to do anything like that yet. But ...Haven't had to do anything like that yet. But who knows, it could happen!Bish Denhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13359927719391990534noreply@blogger.com