Day 34 - More Plot Work on Earlier Revelations

I probably did make my goal today in words, but it was all rough exploratory work and I didn't put it in the manuscript yet.

This story has been tough in a lot of ways. I've been trying to figure out why, and I think one of the reasons is that I've had it in my head for so long. In many ways, it's a developed series - and I am struggling not only with scenes I dreamed up a long time ago that are maybe not so valid now, but also with the fact that you write a third or fourth book differently than you write a first book. Finding the characters' starting points is a little harder when your mind has already gone so far past that.

But the other issue is just an issue with character-based fiction in a plot-driven genre -- I've put off some plot points. I just sort of crowded them off into the undeveloped end. So, I've decided throw a couple of monkeys into the wrench of my character arcs.

Which is why I've been scribbling madly instead of working on the actual manuscript. I've got to figure out how these things throw off some of my carefully balanced character arc moments.

It's also something I learned a long time ago, but somehow comes as a surprise in everything I've written. If you find yourself getting bogged down, you probably have to move a major plot point or revelation. You may have too many of them crowded together, and have to give your characters more time to assimilate the changes -- but you may also have put them off too long.

Don't hide your light under a barrel, and don't keep your secrets too dark and deep.