Thanks for all the advice!
Firstly, my MC is a junior reporter for a popular news paper. I introduced this from the start.
-She follows the news religiously on the TV and in other papers.
-She works late hours, struggles to have a social life, drinks coffee in 2 scenes.
-There is mention of the stories she has been assigned to cover and she has a brief meeting with the paper's chief in one scene
-She did some investigating in several scenes..some of which she had to really exert herself to get the info she needed. E.g. doing research, picking locks, climbing through the window of a security room to obtain a security tape.
-She does not carry around a notepad (perhaps I should incorporate that into my novel), but she did at one point carry around a camera.
-She asks a lot of questions...but I think I should have made her a bit more suspicious.
- As for being in the lunchroom, she and another coworker were being interviewed by a police officer concerning an event that took place the previous night.
- she also dresses very well, e.g suits, heels, very professional.
From the suggestions you guys made I think I need to:
1. Make my character more suspicious
2. make her schedule a bit more "on the go". Drinking coffee, eating on the run.
3. alter some conversation scenes that took place in her apartment and place them on the scene of some big news-breaking story.
4. do research where I observe a reporter's daily routine
5. perhaps toughen her up a bit...as one of you mentioned, the job gives confidence (especially in NY city I would imagine)
6. She should carry a notepad and pen around, always looking for a good story.
I really do appreciate all the help you guys have given me. I am not a reporter, never was and never will be.
I am a nurse...so as for writing what I know..I think not. Going to work each day is a task in itself. Coming home to live it out again through my writing would be no less taxing.
I don't know about you guys, but one of the main reasons I love writing is because I can be whoever or whatever I want to be...it's a way to live out fantasies, to find adventure in an otherwise dull unsatisfying world.
Anyway, Monday I will call my agent and speak with this editor. I will throw these suggestions her way and see what she thinks. I will let you all know how she responded.
Thanks again!
