Pilgrims of the Pool is finished. Except it's not.
I wrote that opener, partly in jest, back on 10 March. Such things have a habit of returning to haunt us. This was part of my original plan:
• Structural edit
• Content edit
• Line edit
• Continuity edit beyond books 1 & 2
• Combined structural/content/line edit
• Transfer to e-reader for eagle-eyed read-through
• Beta readers... and the rest
I have just completed the Line Edit. Notes made during the Structural
and Content edits have been addressed and decisions taken. I now know I
need to shuffle the Structure - again. Three different storylines move
forwards, the two contemporaries within the same time zones, except that
one is slightly adrift. Correcting the time sequence will mean the main
storyline is pushed out of the spotlight for too many chapters. I
believe the response I’m looking for is argh!!
Plan A: write a supplementary chapter for the main storyline - 1,000+ words should do it – except this smacks of padding. If it doesn’t need to be there what else can it be called? For it not to be padding I need to invent a further complication, or even a further thread, go back along the chapters to seed it throughout the novel so that it doesn’t burst onto the page unannounced, have the main character resolve the complication further along the run of chapters – there will be no ...with one mighty bound – and allow the ripples to touch further chapters, probably unbalancing the pacing, especially as it's so close to the end.
Plan B: colour-code all chapters in and either side of the run according to viewpoint character and play jigsaw with the offenders.
No gold stars for guessing which I’m trying first.
Plan A: write a supplementary chapter for the main storyline - 1,000+ words should do it – except this smacks of padding. If it doesn’t need to be there what else can it be called? For it not to be padding I need to invent a further complication, or even a further thread, go back along the chapters to seed it throughout the novel so that it doesn’t burst onto the page unannounced, have the main character resolve the complication further along the run of chapters – there will be no ...with one mighty bound – and allow the ripples to touch further chapters, probably unbalancing the pacing, especially as it's so close to the end.
Plan B: colour-code all chapters in and either side of the run according to viewpoint character and play jigsaw with the offenders.
No gold stars for guessing which I’m trying first.
See also:
Ah, the perils of the storyteller. Me, too!
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