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an unclaimed reward and a writerly edition

Update: Hubs obviously does not know about my blog. Or, if he does, he doesn't stalk it. Therefore, hubs did not get any rewards last night.

Writerleigh:

(What? Amber Leigh Tidd Murphy still writes? Since when? And she's blogging about writing? Wait, hold the phone!)

(Hey, enough sarcasm from you, dear followers. That'll do.)

So, I've decided that one of my hugest fundamental flaws is a LACK of writing in scenes. Here's the thing: I don't know why the hell I have this problem. Maybe it's because I'm writing over large portions of time. (Chapter One currently spans a few years time, and details my MC's experiences when she is 5-8 years old.)

I've decided to try to break down chapter one into scene sections. Also, I've decided that I might not make it backstory. Why can't it be present action?

(I was inspired by Curtis Sittenfeld's THE MAN OF MY DREAMS. Her MC, Hannah Gavener, is fourteen years old in the first chapter, which is titled "June 1991." It isn't backstory. There's a little backstory thrown into the chapter -- it details what happened in the months leading up to the summer of '91... but, yeah...)

So, should I be writing from my MC's POV? She's FIVE. What does she know? Hardly anything.

Hmm...

Well, sir.

At least I'm thinking like a writer and not just like a mommy-to-be.
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Comments

Jenna Wallace said…
Hmmm... POV of a 5 year old. I think it could work if written simply, but not in a babyish tone. I have a five-year-old girl and she astounds me with the depth of her thinking. She may not have the sophisticated words to express her thoughts but she notices everything and gets quite philosophical. This could be a powerful scene if written the right way.

BTW, I am happy to loan said child to you for a short time should you wish to observe. I have an 8-year-old boy on offer as well.
May 7, 2010 at 3:49 PM
Jm Diaz said…
I think you should do it omni POV.. that way, you can get away with expressing emotions that a 5 year old wouldn't comprehend. Unless you go for first POV, and have the narrator telling the story in her old age, of when she was younger... something like that.

Glad you are thinking like a writer ;)

Missed you my dear 'Brrr.
May 7, 2010 at 3:49 PM
Unknown said…
Good luck with the writing, and maybe he hasn't read your post yet so he doesn't know he will be rewarded, LOL
May 8, 2010 at 9:04 AM
Unknown said…
I'm with you, Amber. Writing in scenes is the key to a chapter's success. It's my "one day at a time" approach to writing. Thinking about penning the whole manuscript freaks me out. When I break it down into chapters, and further down into scenes, the process seems sane and manageable. Best of luck with it!

I left you a little award on my blog today!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY, Preggers!
May 8, 2010 at 12:05 PM
Moll said…
I can't wait to hear what you do to CH 1. Kill almost all the backstory...dive into action! =)

And you don't have to say what the five year old is feeling, just show it.
May 9, 2010 at 2:04 PM
Susan Fields said…
I'm reading Hooked by Les Edgerton right now - it's got some good advice on this very topic topic. You might want to check it out.
May 9, 2010 at 5:20 PM
B.E. Sanderson said…
You could try to write it from the MC's POV - but looking back at when she was five. Like in To Kill a Mockingbird. Just a thought. =o)
May 10, 2010 at 8:34 AM
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