Losing the plot

.....and finding the subplots. All six of the snaky bastards.

For the past few weeks I've been focusing on isolating the mini stories, the vines of drama, the secrets, motives and conflicts which have entwined themselves around my plot.

The first is the journey of my antagonist, a bratty fifteen year old girl intent on taking my protagonist down. I traced her steps through my second draft, when she shows up and why, when she wins and loses ground, where she is irrelevant and where she is threatening to take over the whole show. Bad antagonist.

I thought this would be a tedious but ultimately hugely beneficial exercise. It was hugely beneficial. It was also very, very tedious. (Yes, I am still reticent when elbow grease is required).

I started to get to know Ashley (a.k.a Subplot 1). She became crueler. She stole from her mother. She lied about where her Dad was, changing it to suit her mood; he was dead, he was missing, he was a wanted man. I figured out her back story and noted in down. Chapters grew richer; new, better ideas replaced shaky ones. Because I took the time to hang out with her exclusively, it was easier to see what she was lacking, what she would do when backed into a corner, the words she would use to wound.

Instead of growing dizzy trying to stare down the whole book at once, I was zoomed in, focused, and seeing one aspect clearly.

The epiphany's were great. But the problems followed fast. Ashley shows up on pg 103. As the main obstacle for my antagonist to battle, a pretty lazy entrance. So I would have to move her up, significantly, naturally. She also takes her time to cause drama, time I can't afford to lend (and the reader won't care for). Loose ends aplenty. Entire chapters tentatively ejected to the rubbish pile for the greater good.

I re-made the table, breaking and re-setting bones.

I loyally followed the advice of my bible, 'The Weekend Novelist' and tried to see each action like the scenes of a film:

Ashley’s House. A loves H, fascinated by P, cruel to M.

CUT TO

Ashley’s House. A reveals her investigation. H is unhappy. A tries to look like H.

CUT TO

Out of Town. H secret meeting with M to address concern about A. M is dismissive.

CUT TO

Ashley’s bedroom. A knows about secret meeting, tells lies, steal’s H’s phone.

CUT TO

Hannah’s family home. A turns up trying to interview G after second girl missing.......

And so forth.

I have endured this for four subplots over two weeks. My brain is white noise. My book is like something I spilt on the floor. Once the subplots are fully realised I'll have to put the story back together again, Humpty Dumpty style.

I wish I was Jack Kerouac, who put his hands on his type typewriter for three weeks and pushed a book out. (A crazy book, but a great book all the same. I like it a lot - On The Road )

Alas I am not Jack, and so the fight continues between my desire to finish this and my innate laziness.

I'll leave you with one of my favourite pieces of writing from Kerouac, and get back to an evening in the delightful company of Subplot 5.

“[...]the only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous yellow roman candles exploding like spiders across the stars and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes “Awww!”