I had to fire a character last week. I told her with the economy and everything I just didn't think I could keep her on.
"Sarah you have to go. I'm sorry."
"Was is something I did?"
"No. No, it's just I can't afford to keep you. You're diluting my story."
"I can change! Let me know what I need to do and I'll do it."
"It's not that. It's just you and the book seem to be going in different directions. You're kind of more YA and my book is adult."
"Make me older!"
"It's not that simple. In the beginning you were like a scaffold. You got the story going, but now? Well, frankly you're superfluous."
"What's superfluous?"
"See? That's just what I mean. You have a tendancy to take over. I need to concentrate on characters that are more pliable, ones that give me more bang for my buck."
"I can bang. Really! Give me a chance. Don't just cut me out like this. Is there no loyalty?"
"Sarah you're making this harder than it has to be. I tell you what I'll do. I'll keep your personal folder and if I have an opening in another book, I'll give you a call."
"Yeah? Well I just may be busy! YOU just think of THAT! I may be unavailable. Maybe I'll try another author. Boy, will you be sorry when the next book I'm in actually WINS an award. And I never told you this but I think your writing STINKS!"
*Character slams my door on her way out, kicks over my garbage can, and keys my car.*
Hiring and firing is SO emotionally draining, don't you think?
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11 comments:
I DU NUT FIR MI CHARACTERS. THEY R NUT NIZE AND R MEEN.
MONKEEZ IS LAK DAT.
YR FREND
TOOLOOSE
hiring and firing?
I can't even get enough applicants yet! haha.
enjoyed the blog. Poor, poor Sarah.
Yes. I hear her in the next room throwing things around as she packs...
So funny! Something maybe only a writer would understand, but oh man do we understand!!
Tell Sarah those other files are full of possibility, though. An entire scene I'd chopped from one book made it into another, and it was so much better there.
Ha ha.. :) Awesome.
No one had ever explained to me about editing so beautifully. Thank you! :)
Hey she's lucky I didn't just outright kill her. I at least kept her alive so she can go into another book....
Sometimes these things need to be done and we must walk away and leave our emotions out of it...lol
Tell her to be grateful you didn't kill her.
So, you did it?
Out damned spot!
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