On Writing & Storytelling: It’s a Wrap for Chapter 10, Scene Two of ‘Reunion: Coda’!

Hey, Dear Reader, I’m back!

It’s late evening here in Lithia, Florida, on Thursday, July 27, 2023, and as I write this, the sunset is about 30 minutes away. It’s still hot outside – 83°F/29°C is the official temperature, but the feels-like factor, even under mostly cloudy skies and a setting sun, is 85°F/30°C. That might be bearable, I suppose, if I felt like putting on a pair of shoes and going out for a walk. However, since mosquitoes and no-see-ums also are out and about at this time, I think I’ll stay indoors.

Anyway, even if I wanted to go out, I’m tired after a productive writing day in which I – after several weeks in which I made little progress with Reunion: Coda – finally finished Chapter 10, Scene Two of my manuscript.

Apparently, writing part of the scene in Movie Magic Screenwriter 6.0 in screenplay format turned out to be an inspired choice. Not only did approaching a scene with a lot of “spoken lines” as if it were for a film rather than a novel help break a mental block, but adapting the script to the novel format was fun, not terribly hard to do, and effective.

Overall, I spent about four hours rewriting the relevant part of Chapter 10, Scene Two. It was a bit tedious when I started, but after a while, I got the hang of getting rid of the screenplay aspects and adding narrative muscle to the barebones script to “novelize” the scene.

Here, for instance, is what part of the scene looks like in screenplay format:

And here is the novelized version:

Maddie’s laughter echoes through the line, like a melody that I’ve come to cherish. “Well, hello back.  I take it you’re happy I called,” she replies, her British accent adding a touch of charm to every word.
In that moment, the passage of time and the history within my office seem to fade away, leaving only the present connection with Maddie. It’s as if the cold, unyielding lights have dimmed, and the warmth of her presence fills the room.
Even though she’s not there with me, I smile. “That goes without saying. How are you doing?”
“I’m okay.  Busy.  Between practicing with the Phil, running errands, and all that, there aren’t enough hours in a day.”
“I know what you mean,” I reply.  “I’m still at the office.”

REUNION: CODA (FIRST DRAFT VERSION)

Since I don’t work from an outline, I don’t know if Scene Two will end the chapter, or if I should write another scene before moving on to Chapter 11. I’m open to either option, but I’m so tired now that I’ll wait till tomorrow to decide which one I’ll choose. It’s never a good idea to make important decisions when you’re tired, angry, or sad, don’t you know?

Anyway, that’s all the news I have to share with you, so I’ll say Sayonara and go watch something on TV till I get sleepy. Until next time, stay safe, stay healthy, and I’ll see you on the sunny side of things.