For the past several months, I’ve been stuck on book 2 of my current writing project(s). I had made the main character too powerful, too unbelievable. Too boring. Who cares about an all-powerful character who has almost no weaknesses? Meh.
I was trying to think of how to strengthen the last several chapters I wrote when suddenly it hit me: take away that power and see how she deals with it. If the lack of weakness was causing the weak writing, then maybe I should add some weakness and let it take me where it does. So far it reads much better, and it gives the supporting characters a chance to show what they can do…and they’re surprising even me.
I’ve added more than a thousand words since I started early this morning, but I’m far from done. I’ve still got entire chapters that need partial to complete overhauls thanks to this change. I sometimes wish I hadn’t gotten as far as I did before I caught on to what the problem was, but when I think about it it’s kind of a blessing. Some parts can be salvaged, and I have a general idea of where I’m going. The direction hasn’t changed much–the train’s still on the same basic track–but the implications are far-sweeping. Like, into all the future books (however many that ends up being…). Still, since I’ve already written in the general direction the story’s going I hopefully won’t lose too much time in my reboot. Well, not too much more time. There is that whole months-of-not-writing thing that has slowed me down.
Will I make it to the end of book 2/draft 1 by the end of this year? Maybe, maybe not. I blew past my goal of finishing the first draft of book 1 by the end of the year, so I’m not too worried about whether or not book 2’s draft gets finished before January 1st. I made a goal, and I accomplished it with more than half a year left over.
I think I’m starting to get this writing thing down. 🙂
AJ Mullican, Author 