Hailey's Novel Diary – 6/27/17

I wrote what just might be the most awkward scene I have ever written. I wrote it, read it, said nope and rewrote it. Just for my own reference, it's the cottage scene at the end of chapter 11, or what is chapter 11 at this point.

It's awkward for a couple of reasons. It is supposed to be awkward for the characters, but it got really awkward for me to write. I think I slipped into some kind of Lee Strasberg method of writing for a second, which is funny because I have always been in the Meisner camp.

The best thing about writing, in my opinion, is that you can do anything you want. With acting, you get to play different people, but there are always limits. You usually can't play every character on stage and you probably have to stick to the script. If you are playing Desdemona, you can't tell Othello to stop being so gullible. But when you write, you can play every character, at least in your head. And they can do absolutely anything, as long as it works within the story.

I think I resolved my own awkwardness in the cottage scene, while still keeping it awkward for the characters. I will leave it as is for now and get back to it later.

The Woodford Cottage
Things happen here.