New Opening Chapters

Hi World!

The main task I've pursued in the last couple weeks, since I began my rewrite, is creating two new chapters that precede what I had written before. The chapters bring out the personality and background of my new protagonist (P2) and the three sisters he lives with.

At first, I thought a scene or so would serve to introduce P2 first and establish his importance. Then I realized that a very important element of the story, something dramatic that happens to my favorite of P2's sisters (Jamie), had been covered only in a conversation between the sister and my original protagonist (P1) before. Now that the story starts a month or two earlier, I could show this tragedy happening-- a great dramatic addition for the story. Yay!

Now I'm trying to decide whether or not to introduce another character, integral to the story, who visits the park where P2 works about a week before P1 does. I don't know. Hmm.

As I ponder, I've started re-orienting parts of the original draft to the point of view of P2. I've also cut out now-unneeded descriptions of P2, and removed descriptions of the park that one can intuit from the new chapters.

Next, I really must carefully evaluate and rewrite each scene to make certain I have emotional development, unanswered questions, and dramatic action. These are requirements of creating a good plot from the book Blockbuster Plots Pure and Simple (BPPS) by Alderson that I cited in my last blog entry.

A big part of me would rather write new chapters than revise old ones, so I better draw the line soon and get back on track with revisions. At first, there was compelling reason for new writing, but that is no longer true. It's time for the harder work!

Wish me well as I rein in my unstructured self for the step-by-step evaluation that is so important to the book's readability. I can certainly use the support!