I’ve been working all weekend while trying to balance my time between work, my partner, and my novel. So far, I have found time before and after work, editing a chapter or two, or reshaping key dialogue parts. I feel like I’m making progress but sometimes I get overwhelmed with the work I still have to do.
I’m about two-thirds finished with the second draft but there are half a dozen chapters I need to expand on and the dialogue…so much dialogue I have to work on, the hardest part.
The most challenging obstacles I’ve been coming across the past week is weaving beats into my dialogues. Beats are pauses, like in music, between lines. For instance, having a character say,
“I want some milk,” she walked to the fridge, opening the door and grabbing the glass jug of milk on the second shelf [beat].
“Don’t drink all of it.” Her mother said.
The beat in this example separates “I want some milk.” and “Don’t drink all of it.” which would read completely different without it.
Example without the beat,
“I want some milk.” She said.
“Don’t drink all of it.” Her mother said.
I’ve been trying to use my beats appropriately, to add more to my scenes and hopefully show not tell what’s happening. Another big thing I’m working on, SHOWING NOT TELLING.
Even though the work is daunting, I’m not quitting. I like to have a challenge and I’m looking forward to finishing my second draft. When I finish my second draft I’m going to have it printed off into a manuscript to edit by hand, I did this with my first draft and it helped immensely. It’s an amazing feeling being able to hold my novel in my hands, sort of in book form and having a draft closer to the finished product is exciting.
On another note, I finished reading Patti Smith’s Devotion, which was amazing. It is a tiny book, short but full of so much. A few chapters on Patti’s experiences, a short story, poetry, and photos. Amazing.
Thanks for reading, please follow or subscribe to read more about my journey writing My Frist Novel.
-Alina
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