Chronicles of a Procrastinating Novelist Volume 33 : Writing Day Types - That Damn Side Character
Today was one of those days when my problem character decided to misbehave. Culprit of the current project, Detective Mackenna Kelly. You sir, need to quit stealing the limelight. You are NOT the main character. You're a beloved side actor. I thought after cutting ninety percent of your scenes from the last book (an act that cut the manuscript itself in HALF, you little stage hog), you'd have learned your lesson. But noooooo. You force me to repeat myself. Your weird little side plot didn't mesh with the main narrative. You distracted the crap out of my peer reviewers because you had equal page time and they couldn't figure out why. They weren't in my head while you nagged me to death to put down all your back story and family drama with your stupid sister when no one but me gives a rip, dude. I told you then that I'd seed it in after I've won them to your side. But noooo, here you are begging for attention in the Christmas novella. You've usurped the coolest scare scene so far, and you're muscling in on the dynamic trio who are the selling point of the first book (at least according to this draft of my query letter).
I'll conceded that you add a fun spice to the mix. You draw out Grahame's competitive, masculine side, and you appreciate Lynette's strength and intelligence without the aid of psychic powers. And, okay, fine, you're the badass of a cast composed otherwise of a nerdy dude whose psychic empathy makes him faint a lot, a bookwormy/kitchen witchy spinster, and a dog. I can't help but enjoy your gruff, cut through the BS mode. And your old fashioned gallantry is charming as hell. I admit it. You're a blast to write. But you need to learn your limits and wait your turn or you'll force my hand into a habit of stuffing all your scenes into the scraps folder. Or, since this is a series of books we're talking about, I could write you a spin off...
In the meantime, get your act together, Mac.
Thank you for reading.
B
