In partnership with
I just finished editing the first draft of my second novel, the second in a series of thrillers set in 1990’s Cape Cod. I think I am a fairly strong self editor-my years as a graduate student and then teacher kept my skills and pencils sharp, and I typically have no problem slicing huge X’s through my early drafts, trashing what isn’t working and coming up with solutions. I’ll typically go through four or five drafts before I feel like my work is really ready to stand on its own for submission, and even then it will still need work. Overall I feel really proud about wrapping up this round of edits, and I’m excited to move on to the next round of crafting the second draft. However, one character is clinging to my ankles, and I think I know what I need to do, but I can't bring myself to do it. I’m not a murderer-am I?
I am deeply attached to my characters. They tug at my ankles, refusing to leave me alone until I tell their stories. As I go through draft after draft, I watch them grow and change, their stories take twists and turns I wasn’t expecting, they break my heart and bring me joy. Sometimes, a character I introduce who I am certain won’t make it past the third chapter evolves into a central player in the novel, and conversely, a character I have felt should be a central part of the narrative can simply spin their wheels and refuse to gain any traction. Both of these occurrences happened with these novels, a pleasant and an unpleasant surprise, a birth and a death. I know what needs to happen is that the curtain needs to fall on this character, but I can’t do it, not yet. Can I?
I once read that when Stephen King was almost finished with The Stand he felt incredibly stuck, so he took a long walk to clear his head. He knew that part of the problem was that his story had become so sprawling he had too many threads, and he needed to either kill the book entirely or figure out a solution. His solution was killing off about 80% of the characters he had spent so much time brilliantly crafting, and his book was better for it. I am currently struggling to kill off one character, who I know after one draft is without a meaningful character arc and who readers will not feel compelled to care about. Some of my notes from this last draft even have me asking the questions “where is he right now? And who cares?” Surely sign that death is imminent.
I’ve killed lots of characters (I write thrillers after all), but this guy I’m clinging to. The characters in these two past books kept me company through the worst two years of my adult life, and for that reason maybe I feel extra attached to this particular darling. I’m going to take the dog for a walk now, and see where that leads me, or I guess I should say us.
Thanks for coming back! Please consider subscribing today!
Smart starts here.
You don't have to read everything — just the right thing. 1440's daily newsletter distills the day's biggest stories from 100+ sources into one quick, 5-minute read. It's the fastest way to stay sharp, sound informed, and actually understand what's happening in the world. Join 4.5 million readers who start their day the smart way.