Split Personality

While editing my manuscript,“The Family Secret - A Rainy Day,” I realized I’ve got a split personality. My writer persona is close to my regular, verbose and somewhat disorganized nature. My editor persona, let’s call her, Peg, is shrewd and disciplined. Peg was around all day yesterday. She kept asking, “Does this word have to be here? Will the story suffer if it’s omitted?” According to Peg a third of what I’ve written isn’t necessary. The way things are going my delete key may wear out. When Peg finished revising for the day, she put the document in a folder, noticed another file and asked, “Do we really need this? Isn’t this outdated?” After purging the file she went into the kitchen and cleaned out the refrigerator.

One of the things Peg pointed out yesterday was the need for some name changes for supporting characters. My protagonist, Jenna, has had the same name since I started writing the book. I’ve always been in tune to her character and knew what to call her from the start. The villain’s name had to change. Originally he was supposed to be someone who appeared to be a bad guy, but in the end turns out to be a nice person. Unfortunately, as the story progressed his true nasty character emerged and his nice guy name, Andy, had to go. His new name is Dirk. I had to change one name three times. First she was Melissa, then Carolyn, next she became Sam, and now she’s Kit. She’s a bossy girl, who evolved to be sporty, but not tomboyish, which is why Sam didn’t work. Kit suits her no nonsense, capable personality without denying her femininity. In my name search, I used the Prairie Den web-site’s name generator, (http://www.prairieden.com/articles/character_names.php.) Another helpful tool is the command ‘F’ feature on my computer. I can change out reoccurring names in a hundred page document in an instant.

The good news is the manuscript is improving, and the most important elements don’t require alteration. The plot and characters develop well together. They’re intertwined because before I started, Peg wrote a strict outline listing the problems protagonist Jenna encounters, how she resolves them, and ultimately experiences personal growth. I followed the outline and it seemed to work. The biggest problem Jenna deals with is her parents. Although they’re minor players in the book, with dialogue in only two scenes, their mistakes, drive the plot. They’re not villains, just flawed individuals like regular people. Her grandparents also have minor parts, but serve as better role models than her parents.

As I re-read the book yesterday I got to thinking about the important function grandparents play in a child’s life. I was lucky enough to live in the same town as all four of my grandparents. One set lived walking distance away until I was eight years old. I visited all the time. They took me on day trips to Chicago, and boat rides across Lake Michigan. My other grandparents treated me to “fish fry” dinners, a popular Friday tradition in Milwaukee.

Oops. Peg wants to cut the above paragraph and part of the one above it. I’m leaving them in to exemplify the difference between my two personalities.

“The average writer is ornate to no purpose, full of elegant variations, and can be relied upon to use three sentences where a word would do.”

Wolcott Gibbs (1902 - 1958)

Theater Critic and Copy Editor