If I’d had more time I would have written less

I took the first chapter of the Hani strand to the Manchester SCBWI critique group yesterday. I have actually twiddled with that chapter quite a lot recently. A couple of people made the comment that the first part of the chapter didn’t seem necessary. I am tending to agree. I can skip straight to halfway through the chapter quite probably.

I hesitate a little, though, for I know that the beginning to this chapter echoes the beginning of the Renate strand and may therefore be appropriate. Between the two of them, these chapters really show us how much each girl was looking forward to spending time with the other. It probably won’t be entirely apparent until I do put the whole book together and I haven’t had time to do that yet.

Today, though, I have created a table showing how the three strands weave together in one timeline. I did this because I was struggling a little with the Renate strand. I think I have created something that is balanced now.  

The Hani strand is about right in length. However, I am going to have to cut back on the Renate one. Otherwise we’ll have a novel that is over 120,000 words long – a little too long for a teen novel, I think.   

Much of the extra writing is helping me as a writer to get into the story. I haven’t finished doing that yet nor have I had time to finish the novel.

QED: If I’d had more time I would have written less.