Placeholder chapter.

I'm still struggling with "Fairy Punk."

I'm 70K words into it, so it's not like I'm going to quit now. Yesterday I wrote what I'm going to call a "placeholder" chapter. I try not to do that too much. It's an easy crutch, and just means I have to go back and really work harder on it.

I read it to Linda, and she seemed to think it was all right. She's having trouble with the multitude of characters, which is a problem that can't be resolved easily. In fact, it's an intrinsic part of the book. If it isn't working, it's because I'm not writing it well.

Anyway, yesterday's chapter was more or less 'The White Council' chapter, where the good guys get together and discuss plans. (I even make a joke about Tolkien, which I'll probably take out.) I love the setting, which is in an extant Cave of the Winds at Niagara Falls. (The real cave collapsed in 1954.)

In fact, I've loved all the setting to these chapters. Really, that's my starting point. I try to pick an interesting location with an interesting history and then have the scenes play out there. So I'm very satisfied with that part.

But what comes obvious when you have a bunch of characters talking about their motivations is if you haven't really nailed down the motivations. For instance, Iggy's journey should be more or less a secret (like the Fellowship). Otherwise, I have the lame motivation of the Big Bad saying, "I'll just watch them and see what happens.") That's probably the best (worst?) example, but there are a bunch of others.

It doesn't help that they have this big meeting but nothing is really resolved. No real decisions made.

Oh, well. Like I said, a placeholder chapter so I can move on. I needed to check in with that group of characters.  I've got to find a way to firm up the motivations, make them believable.

I'm sure I can do it, if I think about it long enough.