Adding Content

     I've made a decision.  Imperfect Hope, first draft, needs more content.  Specifically, I've added to the outline what turns out to be four chapters to be added to the front of the existing first draft.  I'm planning to rewrite Cinda's opening monologue to reflect the new beginning, and then weave together Cerryn's tale of growing up in the Eagle's Forge, the Vendarian training temple (think Shaolin monks from the old tv series in a vague way), then gradually drop in three other storylines, one involving Randir and his journey to becoming a companion of Elorna, another involving Cerryn's older brother, and the third involving Del, a retired adventurer turned brewmaster.  Cinda's opening monologue will mention Del, one of the old ones she remembers, effectively tying his story line to the long term tale.  He'll also eventually link up with Cerryn's brother, but in the opening chapters, He'll start out linked with her, and then his story will diverge as hers starts to converge with Randir.  It all sounds so confusing, the way I'm describing it, but in my own imaginations, it seems to make sense.  Of course, IH v1.0 seemed to make sense, and it needs a major reworking.  But, hey, that's what rewriting, as opposed to revising, is for.

     I am puzzling on exactly how to start Cerryn's tale.  Some time ago, I wrote an exercise introducing Cerryn to a visiting monk from the Eagles Forge, that might make for a good start.  If I do work from that initial point, I could then drop her brother in (an older brother, something of a black sheep, who Cerryn looks up to (and later, her idealized memory of her brother will undoubtably affect her questor training in some manner)).  From there, I might skip years to touch upon her questor training before introducing her to Randir (an introduction I'd already mentioned in IH v1.0 as musings from Randir's point of view.) 

      The as yet unnamed brother's tale will revolve around his own path of growth to where He'll take a center stage in IH part two in resisting the Empires efforts in Moon Harbor.  The black sheep aspect of his tale may involve his interest in the confederacy navy, something his traditionally oriented father would strongly disapprove of.  That would put him in the right place during the empires initial moves off the coast.  I'm still mulling over it, though, so this storyline may change drastically.

     Randir's tale would begin at a later point than Cerryn's tale, and give me the opportunity to show the k'tath culture, and his own path toward Companion of Elorna.  This line is as yet the most nebulous, but it's also the one I've probably got the most background material from which to draw.  More will come, I'm sure.

     As I mentioned, Del's tale will be referenced by Cinda, in a completely revised opening first person/present tense monologue that will encompass foreshadowing and the like.  From there, I'll refer to Del's story toward the end of the beginning four chapters, setting the stage for his link up in the primary story with Cerryn's brother.  His role will expand in book two.

     All this gets me to ask myself, how many major and minor characters can I safely run in this story.  I've read some books (Harry Turtledove, for example) who will weave 7 or 8 major characters viewpoints together, but honestly, sometimes I get lost.  In looking at IH V1.0, I was running 3 major viewpoints, and 4 minor viewpoints, however two of the major viewpoints spend much of the time together (Randir and Cerryn).  In version two now, I'm looking at 4 major viewpoints and 5 minor views, which pare down to 3 and 4 through much of the bulk of the tale.  In addition, 1 of the minor viewpoints is a 1 scene cameo, and another of the minors is the Cinda "Frame" story.  I don't think this is excessive, but...  I'll see how it looks when I put it together.

     So.  Time to get back to writing.  I'll see if I can grind out a new start to Cerryn's tale over the next couple of days.  Wish me luck...

TTFN,
JIm