Monday, March 30, 2009

Scene Heartbeat Stopped - AED Needed!



So, over the weekend, I really worked hard on several chapters, exceeding my personal goals for those days. Which was great. I was working along, typing away, feeling the heartbeat of the scene like I felt my own.

Then it just stopped. I backed up, re-read what I wrote, trying to see how I could use the a literary Automatic Electronic Defibrillator (AED) to restart the heartbeat again. Again, much the same. The heartbeat was steady, sure...and then FLATLINED.

So, like any regular Jane who happens upon someone passed out and not breathing, I PANICKED. I emailed my crit partner. "Help!" I tried to tell my husband (this didn't help at all). I re-wrote variations of the end of the scene, but none of those helped me out, either. Whoa. My scene is D Y I N G.

After a phone call with my crit buddy today, I'm hoping we both can revive it, if it hasn't been too long since the last heartbeat. Wouldn't want some deranged scene from lack of oxygen or something. :) I'll have to let you know how it goes later.

Any of you have this happen recently? Not recently? Did your scene survive?

7 comments:

Jody Hedlund said...

I'm so glad you met your goals! I was waiting to hear whether you did! Sometimes I run into a roadblock too. I usuallly try to think of the hardest thing that could happen, or even more tension that I could add. But is REALLY hard to get past the block! Keep us posted on how and when you revive life. . .I'm confident you will!

Tana said...

It's so nice that you have a great support system! I'm trying to revive some scenes as we speak. I'll just have to think it through on my own.

Jeannie Campbell, LMFT said...

T.Anne...are you a member of ACFW? that's where i found all my crit help! if there's anything i can help with, let me know! :)

Jody...i think i might have revived it. few misplaced words here, replaced there...might have done the trick. :)

Sherrinda Ketchersid said...

So is a crit partner more than a person who critiques your finished work? Do they help you brainstorm too?

Jeannie Campbell, LMFT said...

mine is (that would be the wonderfully talented katie from Brain Throw Up blog). we just talked today on the phone. it's great to have someone get you unstuck or just to brainstorm possible scenarios with. shoot me an email if you want some help with your plot or whatever. that's where i go awry. i figure we need all we can get. :)

Katie Ganshert said...

Oh Jeannie - you're the wonderful one! I'm glad I could help! I love brainstorming with ya! :)

Sherrinda Ketchersid said...

Aren't you so sweet to offer to help! I will definitely take you up on that the next time I am stuck. That was no fun whatsoever! I am loving this writing community whose memebers are so warm and so helpful!