I’ve recently finished the sixth draft of Love And Distraction, although the notion of discrete drafts is becoming increasingly inaccurate. This draft was a return to structural edits. After a series of wobbles, I’ve finally decided that I am writing a romance and I’ve revised the work accordingly. The main changes are …
- More scenes with Perry and Rob, and more simmering desire, and mini fallings apart.
- The midpoint first kiss scene is extend. I’m attempting to use all five senses to lift the scene, and elevate it into something magical.
- Mike the macho car mechanic is out, and Helmut the sensitive German car mechanic is in. Helmut has become a confidante for Rob, which is gives Rob more reaction scenes – much needed.
- Added a number of new scenes where Rob and Helmut coach a youth football team. Adds a new location and breaks up the claustrophobic feel of the book – something the beta readers kept pointing out.
- Added a new chapter at the end; the reader needs to share that moment when Rob and Perry finally and forever commit to each other. Before, they did get it together, but it was off the page.
- Remove almost all the scenes that don’t directly relate to the romance. There are one or two left, but most of my darlings have been slaughtered. The romance is now foregrounded and central, as it should be.
There is one more slaughtered darling I’m still struggling with; the loss of Softening as the title. I haven’t thought of another title I love quite as much, so the work in progress is still called Love And Distraction. I’m slowly getting to used to it, so perhaps that title will stick.
I’m planning to start the seventh draft in a couple of days. They’ll be a few more rounds of editing before it goes to a full beta read, but the structure is set now (I hope).
Photo by Wolfgang Hasselmann on Unsplash
