I read a blog post from an author who judges four different writing contests and she commented on some of the problems she sees in manuscripts. Of course, I was interested since I’m still waiting to hear the feedback from the one I entered and one of her comments reinforced an issue that an agent expressed to one of my friends. It had to deal with the main character (mc) lacking emotional responses or being too reserved for the reader to connect.
I’ve repeatedly stressed about my mc because part of his personality is that he is reserved, but I don’t want him to be so reserved that readers can’t connect with him. So, I sent a request for feedback from a beta reader and it’s just as I suspected–to unemotional. His comments made me want to rush back to the beginning of the ms and start adding that layer, but I decided to finish the editing the entire manuscript before going back. I’m only halfway through because I had huge plot problems to address, but I’d already planned on doing another edit for suspense and now it appears I’ll be doing an emotional edit. Yikes and this rate I could be editing for a year. I hope that’s not the case as I would like to pitch this at the April Conference I’m attending. It looks like I’m gonna need a whole lot of work and a little luck to make that deadline.
Both of those things are going to be necessary, and I wish you luck and encourage you to work!
That said, an “emotional edit” may be easier than the other types. Since I’ve not read it, I can’t really speak to it, but having a someone distant/reserved persona can be fascinating in writing. I think it helps if they are aware of it. So you get an internal struggle. Such as someone saying “They held the baby out to me, as if I should want to hold it, but I felt nothing. I took the child in my arms, mimicking the position the mother showed me, but the child could tell I had no real concern for it, and began to cry until she was once again in the arms of her mother.”
So clearly not that, I just made that up, but something like that.
Also exploring why the person is so reserved can be fascinating, provided you have someone who is determined to connect to your MC. In that way, your MC can maintain his/her reserved persona, as audiences will connect to the struggle of the MC wishing he/she could be less isolated, and the other character persisting in cracking that shell.
You’re so right that it can be fascinating, but even in your quick example, you still are expressing his awareness of wanting to be isolated. I’ve failed to do that…I think he seems more like a robot. I did include him feeling emotion but keeping it to himself and then felt that maybe those thoughts were too emotional for a male character and took it out. This happened before I even hit the middle of writing the first draft. *sigh*
Besides cutting out chapters, what are you struggling with while editing and how far along are you?
This week has not been super productive. It’s only Tuesday right? But tomorrow I have a job interview (PLEASE GOD IN HEAVEN LET ME GET IT) so I won’t be doing anything. Today, I spent prepping for the interview AND cooking a Valentines day meal.
So, yes, I’m on chapter 5 of 25. Which is pretty short into it.
My issue lately has been uncertainty. I am taking it on blind-faith that what I revise is in fact better than what I had originally. While I don’t think i’m in love with what was there originally, modifying it often means that I am deleting things that I used to create that character. Such as a phrase “My respect is something you will need to earn.” Out of context, that sounds terrible, but the way it was laced into the original dialogue, it was really cutting. I had to delete it, because the set-up for it was modified.
Other than that, I’m a little concerned my novel has not got enough women. So I am worried that I should move some things around to give some of my female characters some more “screen time.” I had to delete a female character in Chapter 5. Which is sad, but she only showed up once. I thought my MC needed a confidant, but one kind of naturally formed, and ousted the female one. The confidant the MC ended up with is a character that has to be male for a variety of reasons.
First of all, good luck with the interview. I hope you get it. I think editing is very uncertain. I’ve switched several times from first person pov to third person pov and switched it again two weeks (?) ago, after I received feedback from a reader. Ugh. As for having enough women, I don’t think you should force a character into the story for gender purposes. If it doesn’t come naturally, let it be, otherwise it’ll feel forced to the reader.
This week, I’ve really struggled with sitting down and writing, I’ve delayed, delayed and delayed, knowing that I have a looming deadline. I don’t know why I tend to underperform when I need to step it up, but this seems to be a repeating character flaw in my life.
I hope your dinner turned out well.
It did.
Interview…alas. I got hardcore rejected. Spent most of yesterday moping/hating the world.
Sorry! Rejection sucks, but you’ll eventually find the right fit for you and you’ll be perfect for them. Hang in there.