Sometimes you think there’s a character who belongs in the book. Let’s call him, oh say, the grandfather. You describe the grandfather. You write scenes the grandfather. You have a list of plot points between the grandfather and the main character. He’s a fun character to write.
Then you think about the book and how because it deals with adoption you already have a set of birth parents and adopted parents and an adult in the book who is sem-parenting the kid already and you ask yourself, if there’s a grandfather in the book is he going to do something important? And you answer yourself, well sure. Then you ask yourself, is he doing something that could be done by someone in the book? And as much as you hate to admit it, you know the answer is yes.
There’s really not a compelling reason to keep the grandfather in the book.
At least not THIS book. Muhhahaha!!!
PS to Kelly – please mark this down as one day of progress on VZ
I love this! Probably because I recently offed a grandmother in my book . . . she was, in government terms, “expendable.”
You’ll have to save him for another book, Susan! Just let him *rest* easy in a file for now. 😉
Ah, writing that allows us to get out our homicidal tendencies.
Maybe I have a character or two I can get rid of? I’m in a grouchy mood.
That’s what they mean by killing your darlings, I think.
But as kimberleylittle said, he might find a home in another book.