@A I want to get on with the action and you want someone to stop and tell you a story? @A And to play music? Yes, it’s lovely that you play music, but don’t you have things to do? @A You’re just humoring me, aren’t you? Once I find the story, this is all going to change, isn’t it? @story I gaze longingly in the direction of your second draft, which this is so very much not @A H and her crowd had the attention span for actual letters, you know that? @Si Wait–who are you? You’re interesting. Don’t be interesting. This isn’t your story. @Si No, I didn’t mean that–of course you should be interesting-not-boring. Just not too interesting. Or the wrong kind of interesting. or– @Si Nevermind. I can always lose you in rewrite. @A Mmm, fresh squirrel. @chap2 You’re always so much more trouble than @chap1, you know that? @Si, @NameToCome Is every 10-year-old in this book going to make a case for tagging along for the journey part of the story? Can’t you all find a nice middle grade novel to go adventuring in instead? @firstpersonpov Explain this sentence pls: “I whirled away before I could see the relief cross his features, or hear him thank me.” @A Angry much? @L Hey! I’ve missed you! @M You, too! @chap3 Already liking you better, thanks. @J Hey, how about I let A crush on you instead of hating your guts? Improvement, or improvement? @story First drafts mean never having to apologize for repeating yourself. @A Really, I think you’re only allowed one chapter to freak out and be useless and feel sorry for yourself. @M What, you want to come along, too? @story Research you’ve asked me too do so far: brain injuries, forms of insanity, long-term effects of radiation poisoning. Oh, we’re going to have a cheery time together, I can tell. @C, @L So I’m leaving you behind together–but no taking unreasonable martyr-ish risks to save everyone and everything but yourselves, okay? @C, @L I mean it! Don’t make me come back there. @M Sure you can’t stay behind and keep an eye on those two? @Sa I think you’re my favorite character. Remind me again why I rendered you unconscious on page 3? @chap3 You’re getting tedious too. Am now pinning my hopes on chap4. @chap2, @chap3 Admit it–you’re really the same chapter, aren’t you? @J I look forward to the imminent arrival of your personality. @story Are we really right for each other? Maybe I should just work on something else. @story I know this is the first draft, and you’ll be better later. But shouldn’t I love you for who are, rather than hoping to change you? @Sa You know, this story would be simpler if I killed you instead of rendering you unconscious. @Sa Yes, I realize simpler isn’t always better. @story The problem is, I keep hoping things will be different, that this time writing you will be easy. @story But I’ll get over it. @story Either that or I’ll write something else. @Ki Are you going to go all “rue for remembrance” on me? @chap4 I can has story now? Pls?
Not all characters have the attention span for letters
You’d think I’d have written enough exploratory drafts of possible new projects to stop worrying about whether there’s a real story there this time, but there seems to be nothing to be done for it except to accept the fretting.