Meredith Mansfield, Author

I’ve explained before that I’m a modified discovery writer. I don’t outline the entire story before I start writing–though I do know the end I’m trying to reach and at least a few of the major points in between. I also do tend to have a sort of rolling outline of what’s going to happen in the next few chapters–usually three to five. But sometimes that estimate is off.

BECOME: TO RIDE THE STORM is turning out to be no exception.

So, the chapter I mentioned in my last post ran longer than expected. Not really unusual, especially with a lot of dialog. Generally, I prefer my chapters to be no longer than ten pages. It’s a personal preference. As a reader, I appreciate a stopping place so that if I need to stop for a bit, I can easily find my place again. Scene breaks work, too, but chapter breaks are better. Some chapters are, of course shorter–even much shorter. A few just have to go longer.

But very often, there is a place to break and start a new chapter. And sometimes, that’s also a good place for a change of POV character and a slightly different outlook on the situation. So, that’s what I did with this chapter, switching from Margan (previously referred to as Impatient in that previous post) to Rose (the Neighbor).

But what was to happen at the end of the original chapter needs to be in Margan’s POV when he realizes something no one had suspected–least of all Rose. It just won’t work from Rose’s at all. So that means a third chapter, possibly fairly short, in Margan’s POV.

One chapter just became three. To be followed by the chapter in Gaian’s POV that was always intended to follow that little episode in Margan’s POV. Though, because something else has been delayed that would have happened before that.

And only then, the thing that action which was delayed, probably another chapter in Margan’s POV. The delay of this chapter helps to fill that plot hole I was worried about earlier. And, at the same time, helps to set up some action–actually a couple of pieces of action–that will occur later in the story. So win-win.

But that one chapter (which, I can see now, was always going to be too long) is now four chapters.

And all of that will be followed by another new chapter as other characters cope with what Margan and Rose got up to. This chapter will also nicely set up some later action. And then back to the original plan with a chapter in Kaleran’s POV

Not counting the finished chapter I started off from, that’s six chapters ahead. Assuming none of those decide to multiply, of course.

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Earlier this week, I paused briefly in writing the first draft of BECOME: TO RIDE THE STORM, because I had to figure something out.

Discovery writer problems.

I knew I needed someone to help one particular POV character (let’s call him Kal). Someone who is not the person who is supposed to be responsible for his training, etc. But I hadn’t figured out who this other character would be. It needed to be someone with a prior association with the Kal’s parents. And then it hit me. In the very first chapter of BECOME: TO CATCH THE LIGHTNING, I have someone who is rescued by Kal’s father. Someone who would probably have known Kal’s mother.  Someone who has a loyalty to Kal’s Grandmother (there’s a reason that’s capitalized). Someone who, in short, is perfect for the role of shadow guardian.

I didn’t name this other character in BECOME: TO CATCH THE LIGHTNING, but that’s easily fixed, since the manuscript is out with my critique partners and there will certainly be another round of revisions when it comes back. I can even give this character a small additional part, easily enough.

I haven’t written this chapter that I needed to figure out yet because I ultimately decided that it will come a little later in the timeline. But now I know enough to write it when I get there.

Meantime, I have to move Kal’s brother into position for the next main event.

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