kristaphillips My critique group has just finished critiquing my chapter 3. They pointed out, lovingly of course, that even though the chapter was structured well and had a good flow, there was no dialogue. I had noticed this too, but since she is at home by herself that particular evening, and what I wanted to portray was that she was lonely, with an overactive imagination, and some other stuff, I thought it was fitting.
But alas, it was stressed that I need dialogue. Given my novice writer status, I am not sure if this is a ‘demand’ in the publishing world or if it is accepted when the setting warrants no dialogue, but my task is to create dialogue.
First, I thought, maybe she could talk out loud to herself. I quickly shot down that idea; she is boring and lonely, not senile and psychopathic. Then, I got the idea.
Jenny will have a cat! It is perfect! She can still be alone and still create the image of Jenny that I wanted to portray, but talk to her cat! Normal people talk to their animal’s right? And since my book has humor in it, it will hopefully add a sense of humor as well. My only problem is, Chapter 1 is already written and I would have to go add a cat. Hmmm, well, maybe I can have her baby-sit her neighbor’s cat! OH OH OH! I actually like that idea. See, blogging helped me with an idea! WOOHOO!
So, her pesky annoying neighbor will come over, drop the cat in her lap, and insist she watch her while she goes out of town to take care of an ailing mother or something. Jenny will be highly put off, having her day interrupted, but will start talking to the cat, telling the cat all her woes, and yah, it will be funny.
Ok, back to work. Only a few hours before lunch time, when I can work on my new idea!! My fingers are burning to type it in!
-krista
