Pacing the new novel...
So, I'm contemplating my Hitman in Hell novel (as one does), and realizing that I actually have a lot going on in here. And maybe I don't need (yet another) subplot, but I just need to weave the emotional journeys of my characters in with the concurrent plots of (a) getting out, and (b) fomenting rebellion.
I may have mentioned once or twice that I'm emotionally stunted. Emotional journeys are hard, yo, and I'd way rather blow things up than deal with complex and squicky feeeelings. I've got four actual protagonists in this thing (yes, I know, shut up), and they've got various levels of personal and interpersonal crap to wade through, and, just. Augh. My current outline is wholly inadequate for this, and I really have no idea what I'm doing. Not to mention the fact that I've got one character who is a complete cipher to me and might as well be a McGuffin. I really need to figure out just who she is and what she wants besides the obvious.
Perhaps what I should do is make a seven-point outline for each character with the emotional beats the thing needs, and figure out where those go in the actual plot.
I have also realized that I need a map in the worst way.
...this shit right here is why I would rather write short fiction.
This post brought to you by this week's episode of Writing Excuses and the impression I have that I've just dived off a cliff in Acapulco after consuming a fifth of scotch.
I may have mentioned once or twice that I'm emotionally stunted. Emotional journeys are hard, yo, and I'd way rather blow things up than deal with complex and squicky feeeelings. I've got four actual protagonists in this thing (yes, I know, shut up), and they've got various levels of personal and interpersonal crap to wade through, and, just. Augh. My current outline is wholly inadequate for this, and I really have no idea what I'm doing. Not to mention the fact that I've got one character who is a complete cipher to me and might as well be a McGuffin. I really need to figure out just who she is and what she wants besides the obvious.
Perhaps what I should do is make a seven-point outline for each character with the emotional beats the thing needs, and figure out where those go in the actual plot.
I have also realized that I need a map in the worst way.
...this shit right here is why I would rather write short fiction.
This post brought to you by this week's episode of Writing Excuses and the impression I have that I've just dived off a cliff in Acapulco after consuming a fifth of scotch.