tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6464382918796251124.post114172119544300329..comments2021-05-16T13:41:12.015-04:00Comments on The Chaos Beast: The Soul Blade Chapter 20 - CommentaryScott Delahunthttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06735796666483741699noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6464382918796251124.post-70170065464021600842017-03-09T18:52:42.230-05:002017-03-09T18:52:42.230-05:00It is, and I do need to get into the habit of edit...It is, and I do need to get into the habit of editing more. I should have gone into people's heads more; I did it with Grace a couple of times, so why not Missy or Krista or even Summer?Scott Delahunthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06735796666483741699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6464382918796251124.post-45953903502954478012017-03-06T21:30:48.506-05:002017-03-06T21:30:48.506-05:00Well, and the other thing to bear in mind is that ...Well, and the other thing to bear in mind is that along with a learning experience, NaNo is meant to be a first draft, which you're largely putting right out here. Conversations with friends that make sense for the timeline can be pared down or excised offscreen in a final version. Maybe getting into the stonewalling friends' heads can help too? This is basically completely from Brenna's POV, aside from Trish.GregThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17689711881670288362noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6464382918796251124.post-42239343793483857282017-02-21T16:49:51.290-05:002017-02-21T16:49:51.290-05:00If only I could merge the two works to get a story...If only I could merge the two works to get a story where the main character does the investigation and has a romance. I really should have planned this story out more, just so that Brenna could be more active in investigating instead of relying on Tricia to keep things moving. I am half tempted to put up what I wrote of "The Elf's Prisoner" from 2015 to show the difference, even though that was also completely unplanned.<br /><br />Too many characters are stonewalling Brenna, characters who should know better. I'm treating my early NaNo works as learning experiences, not well-crafted stories. With The Soul Blade, I learned that while knowing my characters helps, having them do something more than wait for clues is also important. There's times when this feels like Brenna just wants to see her friends again and catch up with them, despite being the first entry.<br /><br />Krista's job helped. Reporters need something to report, and she has a good source to talk to. I was worried when I saw that this chapter went back to the same worries Brenna had in Chapter 16, but if it works as a call back, I'll take it.Scott Delahunthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06735796666483741699noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6464382918796251124.post-76506689594837942312017-02-19T23:01:33.231-05:002017-02-19T23:01:33.231-05:00In some ways, the story really is the flip to &quo...In some ways, the story really is the flip to "Digital Magic". Brenna just spent a whole day doing nothing related to the case, and when she does venture back into it, making that critical link... Krista *immediately* shoots her down ("hate to burst your bubble") and then they go on to talk about Matt for at least a third of the entry!<br /><br />The difference seems to be that it isn't Brenna who's trying to pick romance over the death-plot (a true flip of "DM"), rather, it's everyone else telling Brenna *don't investigate the death-plot* (or words to that effect, Joni excepted)... and Matt is all the poor girl has left to fall back on. Even though she doesn't want that to be her plot.<br /><br />That said, good call bringing Krista in again, and the talk of the van, while somewhat incidental, does link back to Brenna's concerns about her lack of direction from before.GregThttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17689711881670288362noreply@blogger.com