The chapter I am writing seems boring - this chapter introduces a new character.

I am currently on Chapter 4 of a novel I have finally sat down to write which I have been holding onto for a few years. I have fully fleshed out an outline that I am working closely against and the Chapter is essential to the story as this new character is a main character that aids the protagonist and is vital to the plot.

The issue I am having is that this current Chapter seems very boring to me and I am not very motivated to write it. If the Chapter is boring to me then I think it will be boring to future readers.

How can I keep motivated for the remainder of the chapter, and how do I make sure that I have a captivating Chapter?

 

Thank you, I don't think I could scrap it just yet. With it being my first draft I fell like I just want to get it done and then revise. I'm not brave enough to just delete it.

I do believe that I probably should change the way the character is introduced. Looking at how they are introduced now and what they are like at the end of their development arc is a drastic difference. Do you think I should adapt them so that there isn't as much of a character development as they seem like they could be two different people?

Thank you in advance.

 

If you think it's boring, chances are you're right. When I feel that way, it's usually a good indication that I've made a wrong turn somewhere OR I'm writing filler.

In the case of the former, I put it on hold for a day or so and try to invent some new conflict to inject. Or I start the chapter over and see if I can find a new avenue to my intended destination (which sometimes changes).

In the case of the latter, I scrap the chapter and skip ahead to a point in which something bigger happens. At this point, I'll use narrative summary or white space to indicate a passage of time.

It's important to trust your instincts. It's also important if you really are just bored with the scene or if it's difficult to write. Sometimes I have a scene that I know is important, but I don't feel adequately skilled enough to pull off. When this happens, I just write it as best I can and mark it for heavy revision.

Hope this helps.

 

As a general rule, I don't think it's a good idea to have a scene/chapter that does just one thing. Like, introducing a character isn't enough - you should introduce the character and advance the plot and enhance the setting, etc.

So possibly your scene isn't doing enough? Characters don't need a whole chapter just to be introduced.

 

I can testify to the validity of the above advice from both BSM and Bayview also. After plotting my story, I wrote what I call a developmental draft. The very same thing happen to me, where I had a chapter with a new character introduction that just did not excite me. I finished the developmental draft with that, among other things....a lot of other things...ref flagged for revision. Now, in the 1st draft, I took the parts of that section that the story needed (the introduction of that character)and worked it into a preceding section.
Godspeed!

 

I always thought plotting would have an issue or two.
That is why I am a pantser, free from the constraints
and can change something on the fly if it is lame.

Try to make your chapter more interesting.
A daring rescue where the new character is introd.
Maybe they bump into each other at a coffee clatch.
Just add something that would make it less boring.

 

This is very much true. You also need to make it flow, so it doesn't seem like you're just shoving things together to make it interesting. A story is organic, it needs to feel like it has life and growth. Your characters are people, regardless if they're Vulcans or Jabberwockies. Weave things together, and have elements that are tied in at some point. Not right away unless that is important for their character or whatever, but always remember to leave surprises along the way. Foreshadowing can help too, it makes it seem less like you just suddenly decided to do something, and more like you planned it. Don't worry too much about being predictable, but don't try to be obvious either.

 

If you yourself are bored with it but it's a vital part to the story, just change certain aspects to it. As stated above, you could write the character in but try to mix the situation up a little that might spice the chapter up. Or is it that you find writing the character boring? Maybe change the character a little, give them different traits that could add another element to how you're writing them. Keep writing and I hope you can get through it

 

Thank you for all of your feedback.

I think I'm going to try and persevere, but note that it needs heavy revision. I now definitely think that there must be another more interesting way for them to meet, I just have to find out what it is.

As for my character, I think he may need a couple of adjustments. As a new character I have made him an introvert that's also shy and weak who very much relies on the main protagonist. However at the other end of his character development arc he is an extrovert, very outgoing and self reliant.

Do you think this is too much of a change? The plot that changes my main protagonist effects all of my characters and changes them in some way.

 

More outgoing than originally sure, but will still be an introvert.
I wrote a research paper in English about the differences between
the two in Community College.

 

I'm not so sure an event that takes place could have such a wild effect that an introvert could just become an extrovert but they could definitely make strides, as stated above, they could aim to be more outgoing, not to self-contained.

 

He can be a confident introvert, but maybe don't change him into a boisterous extrovert. I think the two types of people are hard-wired differently. He can change, but the core of his character should remain the same.

 

CHAPTER 4 AFGHAN CHARLIE

'Alpha Charlie Tango, insurgents at twelve o'clock,' I cried into the mancoms, and slumped against the sand walls of the compound. Pfc Jessica Jones caressed my boots, her fingers deftly unbuttoned the fly of my combat underpants.
'Thank you Pfc,' I said, 'war is hell,' I said.
'Time for your R & R, corporal,' she replied, took my manhood in her cheekbone, removed the grit, she spat gracefully.
'Thank you, thank you,' I said, and the Blackhawk swooped low overhead, dropped the thousand pounder upon my manhood, a direct hit as Jessica swallowed.
'That's all I remember,' I said to the surgeon. 'The American pilot's confusion with our 24 hour clock, and Jessica's skull recovered from the poppy field...I...'
'It's not all bad news, son,' said the surgeon. He indicated with a sweep of his palm the curls tumbling from the bedspread, a silhouette beneath the sheets like a snug football. 'The best we can do for now, boy. Once we call in the dental hygienist from Basra we can move to phase two ops,' he said.
'Yes sir,' I said.

 

It might help knowing that I am writing my timeline in two sections.

For example instead of going from 2000 - 2020, I'm going from 2000 - 2010 at the same time as going from 2010 - 2020. The timelines are writing side by side: chapter 1 could be set in 2010, chapter 2 in 2000, then chapter 3 back to 2010.

So the character that's being introduced in chapter 4 has already technically been introduced in a previous chapter, but in a different stages of his life. The same with all of my characters (there aren't too many).

The characters arc therefore happens twice (kind of). The development from first meeting to the end of the start of the other timeline, and then from the beginning of that one, right to the end.

I'm writing a romance, however the climax wouldn't work if the timelines were in chronological order.

 

I would advise you to stop writing and start thinking instead. Thinking time (mental problem-solving time) is never wasted, when you're developing a story. Consider it part of the writing process.

You've identified that perhaps the character should be introduced differently. So stop writing, and begin to daydream about this a little. Try out several different approaches in your head. How else could you introduce this character?

Or...you could just skip over this chapter for now and carry on writing the story. The solution may well emerge as you get further along.

Don't allow yourself to get stuck and frustrated, going over and over this bit. If an approach to a problem isn't working, you need to change it. Maybe go ahead and write the story out of sequence, for example? It might jog yourself out of this rut.

 

Thank you for your input.

I always thought that I'd be 'cheating' if I just skipped over the chapter and came back to it later, but it actually makes a lot of sense now. The time I'm wasting on this chapter could be put to good use in others. This stewing time whilst I'm working on my other chapters may just be what I need to be able to come back to it with an excellent idea.

Saying this, I'd love to just jump about and write the chapters I want and then fix the order, but I know that it would be too hard to fix and I'd probably just be digging loop holes.

Thank you for the help, looks like I get to start chapter 5

 

Actually, I'm a big fan of writing the chapters out of order. Yes, you need to pay attention to what you're doing, but the rewards are worth it. As you write, you devise ways to 'stick' the chapters together, and sometimes what you thought was a boring chapter you needed to write can actually be condensed down into a couple of paragraphs, and used as a transition ...either at the start of a chapter or at the end of one.

I find it helps to keep track of stuff if you establish a timeline. I do NOT mean an outline. I mean a simple date-related diary.

Establish an overall timeline. (Such as your story happens between June of 1968 and July of 1969. Or a fantasy time frame.) Then fit every important event into an actual date on the timeline, and fit your other less important events around them.

It's a good idea to establish things like birthdates, duration of events (how long it takes for a person to travel somewhere) and outside events (such as holidays, assassinations, what have you.) Then as you write, you can double check to make sure you're not leaving a plot hole, or doing something that contradicts something else.

This is something you would start when you begin writing, just to establish a general framework. But then treat it more like a 'diary' of time-dependent events. Make entries to it as they 'happen,' while you write about them.

I would never try to write without one.

 

I'm with Jannert, &Big Soft Moose on this. I was really stuck on a section in one of my stories - a dinner party scene. I wrote it out but, man, it kept bugging me. I finally - in following drafts fixed the scene by squishing like four or five pages into a couple of paragraphs of narrative and the idea intensified, becoming more power in fact one of the most powerful scenes in the story. So I'm for getting it down, being aware of the problem and then later on fixing it by really thinking it through. I had to sit down and really decide what I wanted to say with that scene and came to the conclusion that I didn't need event after event to say it.
You might find once your done you can clip the entire chapter - I've done that before.

 

This implies that introversion is a bad thing, a character flaw that a person can be cured of, and that it's directly tied to weakness and passivity. This is a common idea, especially in the United States, but it's a misconception. An introvert can be strong and self reliant. An extrovert can be weak and dependent.

And introversion/extroversion is a core characteristic that I don't believe that you can convincingly change. If the character ends up being an extrovert, then I would argue that they were always an extrovert, and their earlier behavior was based on fear or some other issue that was suppressing their natural behavior.

If the character starts out as a frightened introvert, then they will end up as a strong confident introvert, not an extrovert. So I think that you need to pick the "end" of the arc that you most value--the extroversion at the end or the introversion at the beginning?--and modify the other end to reflect that.

For a better understanding of introversion and why it's not a Bad Thing That Must Be Fixed, I suggest the book Quiet, by Susan Cain.

 

What @peachalulu said here, about deciding what you want your scene/chapter to do, is probably the key to solving most problems of stalled writing.

Ask yourself that question directly. What do I want this scene/chapter to accomplish? Be specific. It's amazing how quickly the answer to that question can focus the issue.

In the case of the OP, the answer should NOT be: I want to introduce a new character. That is way too vague a goal, and is probably the core of the problem.

Instead, the OP's answer to 'what do I want this chapter to accomplish?' should be something like: I want the reader to know that this new character is a grumpy, but scrupulously honest person who won't be trifled with.

Or: I want the reader to see that this new character is very different to my main character, but also realise that opposites may attract.

Or: I want the reader to understand why my new character has decided to team up with my main character.

In other words, be specific. Then you can write with purpose.

 

If you're bored there's a good chance your reader might be bored too. It sounds like you enjoy the story overall and you've just reached a blip in the novel. In that case I'd be tempted to ruthlessly strip out anything from this chapter you dislike and maybe even change the direction and adapt it to something that you enjoy. If there's something very significant you want to keep that's fine but really any big moment in the plot should be exciting or interesting in some way and be a joy to read. I'd like give it another read through and decide if it's mood based or if you still don't like it as otherwise it will play on your mind. Maybe a totally different approach to this chapter is needed. If you like the rest of the story, return to your roots and let it find its voice naturally.

 

It may be better to do what I did/am doing with a similar issue. Leave the chapter as a bit of an unfinished hole, and keep writing past it. Eventually, you'll come to a point where you need some backstory - you need an event to have happened to make something make sense, or perhaps you realize just what that filler needs to be; kind of what jannert was suggesting.