Since I'm all done with this current novel...well, for the time being, I've decided to post a scene that didn't make it into the first draft. I liked the scene, but it didn't really move the story along and I knew it almost as soon as I wrote it. So it was one of those scenes that got deleted pretty quickly. As I'm writing, I make a file of all big chunks of text that I delete, just in case I change my mind. Do you guys do something like that ? Do you keep big deletes? Would you ever share them?
Scene Summary:
Scene Summary:
Sayra and Chaz have been outside during their lunch period, in a place they have to get to through the boiler room. So while they wait for their eyes to adjust from the sunny garden to the dark boiler room, they have this conversation:
“Oh, I’ve been meaning to tell you,” I said as we waited to see more than two inches in front of our faces. “I told my mother that you said her books were filled with heaving bosoms, throbbing loins and—”
“What? Why would you do that?”
“It just came out. I blame you.”
“Okay, this oughta be good.” Chaz folded his arms over his chest. “How am I responsible?”
“You fed us all that sugar and fat and it did something to my brain.”
“Uh-huh. So I guess I can forget ever meeting her. No way I’ll be able to look her in the face now.”
“She won’t remember. But the crazy part is, she made me read one of her books. I have until Sunday and then we have to discuss it.”
“Yikes.”
“I know, right? I’ve read about half of it and I have to admit it’s really good. It’s weird though, the main character’s name is Sayra.”
“Really? So your mom named her character after you. That’s kinda cool.”
“No, she wrote this book before I was born so I’m named after the character.”
“Oh. Well, it’s still kinda cool.”
“It is, but it’s weirding me out. I think I’m coming up to the part where the girl is about to, you know…do it for the first time and I’m going to freak if this dude is all like, ‘Oh Sayra, let me touch your heaving bosoms.’”
Chaz laughed so hard I thought I was going to have to resuscitate him. “Oh god, let’s hope your mom is a better writer than that.”
5 comments:
Congratulations on finishing your novel. I do the same thing. I write stuff that is for me...to help me create the characters I have to write stuff about them just for me. :)
Thanks Sharon. Isn't it fun to create scenes even if you know it won't make the book. I think it helps develop your characters.
I keep old versions, so I know the scenes are still there if I need them. I agree, it doesn't hurt to write a scene that never makes it into the book if it helps you get to know your characters better.
Good to see you around!
How did I not know you had a blog?
This is a funny scene! It's always interesting to see what gets deleted in later drafts.
I, too, keep everything. EVERYTHING. But I cannibalize a lot of later, so I don't feel like much gets wasted.
I think it helps develop your characters.
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