This next chapter scene was hard to write. Yet, for some reason, I keep doing it! It represents yet another low point for our hero in the story. Now normally, one would expect to see just one low point in a seven-act story where the hero/heroine feels all is lost. But for MILK RUN, I felt a double low point is necessary: one to represent a career low and the second a more personal low.
The first low happens in MILK RUN Scene 17- Standoff when Captain Toby Nathaniel Louis finds himself thrown in the brig by his second in command, Commander John Emerson. This happens on Toby’s first mission as Captain of the USS Princeton, an old destroyer class spaceship.
Now some folks might say a disappointment at the beginning of anybody’s career is just a bump in a long road. But from Toby’s embarrassed perspective looking out from between jail bars, it would seem to be as low as one can go–and the fact that he got there on his first mission sharpens the sting.
MILK RUN Scene 27 v1 – Realization (click here to read), represents the second low point in Captain Toby Louis’ SpaceComm career when he becomes aware of a newfound respect and mentor like relationship with the very same Commander John Emerson who, earlier on, took over his ship and tossed him in jail. But Toby and John’s realization may have come too late as you will read in this new chapter/scene.
For some reason, it took me longer to write this chapter/scene. While it is still in draft mode, I wanted to try my best to get it right the first time. I felt lots of pain as I cut and trimmed and chopped some of what I felt was important descriptive passages from the story. But I remember reading somewhere that you have to cut and cut and cut till it hurts to the bone to produce a tight, impactful story. I think that goal has been reached, at least in this draft form. But I suspect that my Beta Readers will suggest further carving to this section even more . . . ouch!!!
So, a few questions for you all:
- What’s your experience in cutting and trimming your writing- either a story, email, business report, etc.?
- How hard is it for you get your writing straight, tight and insightful the first, second or third time around?
- Who else uses the seven act outline to write their stories?
Feel free to comment below or in the reply section below. I’d love to hear and share. After all misery loves company.
As always, in an effort to share and help other others, I have another book recommendation for you.
It’s the distant future. Humanity has built a Dyson Sphere around the sun and Cliff Hock is back to bounty hunting. But a strange case of amnesia has him questioning the events around him, echoes that are compromising his own past.
You can pickup this “whodunnit” SciFi mystery by clicking here or the book image.
You asked for feedback on how your audience trims writing in emails, reports, etc. My writing these days consists of emails and adding comments to manuscripts. I review emails several times to ensure they say what I intend and do so as efficiently as possible. I often write a draft, save it, then come back to it later with a fresh perspective. I also run a spell and grammar check. I use the same process for manuscript comments to ensure they say what I want but are constructive. I used to be a technical writer, so tight writing is important to me.
I don’t write stories, so I can’t comment on your third bullet. I’ve thought about writing a novel someday but don’t know if I have the creative chops to do it. The way my mind works, I’m much more adept at helping authors with their stories.