If you read my earlier post, you know I’m in the final stages of the novel, and have a deadline to be finished and ready to pitch the book by August 5th. To keep me motivated (and you informed), I will be chronicling my progress and learnings here.
PROBLEM: Draft 1 of Chameleon is fairly plot centric, but there’s the potential to elevate the book and add another level of tension if I incorporate the emotional arcs of the characters.
SOLUTION: Over the past five days, I have developed arcs for three characters and the company that is after our protagonist, and I’m almost done with the main antagonist. One of the challenges I set for myself was to figure out why each antagonist believes they have a good internal reason for doing what they’re doing, that for them doesn’t seem to be wrong.
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Here’s one thing I’ve come up with for my protagonist:
After an adulthood spent pushing people away and depending only on herself, she must learn the value of letting people in and accepting help from others.
Another character:
After a lifetime of responsibility and obligation that manifested in a need to control everything and everyone, a man must learn the value of letting go.
So, that’s it for tonight. Happy writing.
Categories: Writing
