pacing thrash

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

Yet another issue to wrestle with, courtesy of the book that comes next after the one I am currently working on.

This series is from a single first-person POV.  The plot opens with an Event, which my protagonist gets called in to have a look at, and that covers the first two chapters.  Three different sets of consequence then ensue (apparent effects of the Event on local aliens and humans finding out about that, apparent effects of the Event on local humans, and political responses among the local government).  About a third of the way into the book the political stuff takes precedence and I am pretty clear on pacing with the other stuff from there to the end, as my protagonist's ability to do anything about the other two issues becomes pretty tightly constrained by a worsening environment on the streets.  What's making me a bit grumpy is that for chapters 3-10 or so, I have a couple of chapters worth of each of three different threads of consequence, and not yet any clear idea what order they go in. as a whole thing.  I'm happy with my logic for fitting the end of the book together, but I would rather have a natural flow in the first ten chapters; on the one hand, I don't want the failure mode of yanking my protag from the middle of one investigation into another too much (though she has annoying superiors who will do that a couple of times); the way Death Masks does that with Harry going back and forth between the Denarians/Shroud plot and the Red Court plot would be an example that does not quite work for me. On the other hand, I don't want to spend so much continuous time on any one thread that the other threads fade into the background and seem not to be so important.  (it would in some ways be easier if I had more than one viewpoint, but as I have one viewpoint through all the story up until then, and plans for one viewpoint for all the story subsequent, I'm not on for throwing in a couple of disposable viewpoints as a cheap solution here.)

I suspect the answer to this is going to be to just keep going over it until other connections come to mind that give me small-scale plot logic, but right now it is irritating the heck out of me.

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

of course, it turns out that the solution here was "whine about it on the internet", because two different moments of inspiration came to me tonight while doing something totally different which I think have sorted this issue out. So thank you for your help, if only in cardboard-programmer form.

[The Deposed King]

of course, it turns out that the solution here was "whine about it on the internet", because two different moments of inspiration came to me tonight while doing something totally different which I think have sorted this issue out. So thank you for your help, if only in cardboard-programmer form.

Hahahahah!

Sorry I didn't get here in time to help.  My solution from the Spineward Series books was to either get my main character in on the problem or turf it to one of my long term secondary characters like the Chief Engineer or Akantha.

But since it sounds like with your story its all MC all the time....

Not sure how I can help without knowing more.  But also since you've already basically solved the problem....

By the way how long before you're going to put it out/or-put it up for sale?


The Deposed King

[o_O]

 About a third of the way into the book the political stuff takes precedence and I am pretty clear on pacing with the other stuff from there to the end, as my protagonist's ability to do anything about the other two issues becomes pretty tightly constrained by a worsening environment on the streets.

*has a vision of an Earth Made of Glass type failure-evacuation scenario*

[Dresdenus Prime]

of course, it turns out that the solution here was "whine about it on the internet", because two different moments of inspiration came to me tonight while doing something totally different which I think have sorted this issue out. So thank you for your help, if only in cardboard-programmer form.

It's funny how that works isn't it? Between a full time job, a 9 month old, a 3 year old and my wife, I barely have time to write, and when I do I find numerous times when my concentration is nothing but slimey goo. Yet every morning before work when I go to the gym and I'm listening to my music, things just come to me. Ideas spread like wildfire.

It's like the old saying goes, "Things happen when you least expect them to." 

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

By the way how long before you're going to put it out/or-put it up for sale?

#1 and #2 are out being looked at now. #3 is about a third written, and this bit of plot thrash was about stuff in #4 which indirectly needs some set-up in #3.

[the neurovore of Zur-En-Aargh]

*has a vision of an Earth Made of Glass type failure-evacuation scenario*

That's one of the things this volume's in dialogue with, I suppose.