Meet Brad. My next hero in Rain In My Summer.
When I started writing the manuscript, I simply wrote. I allowed it to move forward without any idea where it was going. I relied on my instinct and followed it. True, I have his basic info the first time I finished RIMS last year. He was supposed to be an ex-navy that explains his love for marine life and the reason why he is passionate about saving the ocean. He was an orphan who came to the Philippines to find out the lost daughter of his dad. He thought it was the heroine.
A lot of things happened in the first edition. There was the heroines ex-boyfriend stalking her and finally kidnapped her in the end. There were lots of conflict between the hero and the heroine to the point of not allowing the romance to flourish between them.
So when I submitted it, I was advised to revise it.
So I did. My revised edition was still the same. He was set out to find his lost foster sister. However, I added more romantic scenes between the main characters. I was satisfied and plotted the ending. I added a childhood friend of the hero who made the heroine jealous. It prompted her to leave the island, quit showbiz and focus on her studies instead. But her friend Alena, who was with her in the island teamed up with Brad and found her again. She was drugged and she woke up at his cabin where he learned about her identity and their conflict resolved.
I was not satisfied. Somehow, I felt there was something lacking. I cannot help but compare it with Meant To Be My Hero, my first approved manuscript and realized I don't really know Brad to the deepest level. So I went back to my profile sheet. I keep a profile sheet for each of my characters, especially the hero and found out his was blank. When I came to the questions what is the thing you value most and why? what is your greatest fear? what is your strongest quality? and so on...No answer. I froze. Now I know why the structure of the story is somewhat loose. I didn't really took the time to talk to Brad heart to heart.
So that was what I did. We spent the night together. It's a tiring process since I was very eager to proceed with the story. Yet I know very well that unless we had a heart to heart talk, I wouldn't be able to make any progress. At first, he was quiet. The type of man who answers my questions one at a time. He never revealed himself until we were halfway. That was when he revealed his colorful past.
His girlfriend Karyl died because of the bullet that was meant for him. In my earlier post, I already figured out how she died and who she was. But I changed the name to Karyl. But I had questions as to why he recognized Nikola and why seeing her in Pernado Island seemed important to him. He told me Nikola's ex-boyfriend hired him to find her and bring her back. He never thought being with Nikola would bring back memories of his past with Karyl. He realized that it was more than just a spy game and he had that feeling that his life would not be the only one at stake in this game. So is his heart.
During the end, Nikola discovered the email from her ex to Brad, detailing of his job and what he must do to bring her back and his willingness to pay any amount. Nikola was mad. She felt foolish, devastated at the thought that the man she trusted is exactly like the man she had been running away from.
Brad explained that he never informed his client that he already found her. He said he got selfish and wanted her for himself. She was scared and torn between holding on to her heart or giving it away to the man who made it come alive.
So far, this is how the ending would be. It would be a revelation and transformation as well. I hope this one will work. Otherwise, I will change it again into a more suitable, more believable plot.
A lot of things happened in the first edition. There was the heroines ex-boyfriend stalking her and finally kidnapped her in the end. There were lots of conflict between the hero and the heroine to the point of not allowing the romance to flourish between them.
So when I submitted it, I was advised to revise it.
So I did. My revised edition was still the same. He was set out to find his lost foster sister. However, I added more romantic scenes between the main characters. I was satisfied and plotted the ending. I added a childhood friend of the hero who made the heroine jealous. It prompted her to leave the island, quit showbiz and focus on her studies instead. But her friend Alena, who was with her in the island teamed up with Brad and found her again. She was drugged and she woke up at his cabin where he learned about her identity and their conflict resolved.
I was not satisfied. Somehow, I felt there was something lacking. I cannot help but compare it with Meant To Be My Hero, my first approved manuscript and realized I don't really know Brad to the deepest level. So I went back to my profile sheet. I keep a profile sheet for each of my characters, especially the hero and found out his was blank. When I came to the questions what is the thing you value most and why? what is your greatest fear? what is your strongest quality? and so on...No answer. I froze. Now I know why the structure of the story is somewhat loose. I didn't really took the time to talk to Brad heart to heart.
So that was what I did. We spent the night together. It's a tiring process since I was very eager to proceed with the story. Yet I know very well that unless we had a heart to heart talk, I wouldn't be able to make any progress. At first, he was quiet. The type of man who answers my questions one at a time. He never revealed himself until we were halfway. That was when he revealed his colorful past.
His girlfriend Karyl died because of the bullet that was meant for him. In my earlier post, I already figured out how she died and who she was. But I changed the name to Karyl. But I had questions as to why he recognized Nikola and why seeing her in Pernado Island seemed important to him. He told me Nikola's ex-boyfriend hired him to find her and bring her back. He never thought being with Nikola would bring back memories of his past with Karyl. He realized that it was more than just a spy game and he had that feeling that his life would not be the only one at stake in this game. So is his heart.
During the end, Nikola discovered the email from her ex to Brad, detailing of his job and what he must do to bring her back and his willingness to pay any amount. Nikola was mad. She felt foolish, devastated at the thought that the man she trusted is exactly like the man she had been running away from.
Brad explained that he never informed his client that he already found her. He said he got selfish and wanted her for himself. She was scared and torn between holding on to her heart or giving it away to the man who made it come alive.
So far, this is how the ending would be. It would be a revelation and transformation as well. I hope this one will work. Otherwise, I will change it again into a more suitable, more believable plot.
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