I recently read a fast-paced novel that made me question my WIP. My MC, I decided, is too passive. She needs to actually find a body, rather than just hear about one being found. When I looked back over my set-up, I realized I should have plotted it that way from the beginning. (Just one duh moment after another, that's me) In order to make it so, though, I had to shift scenes every which way (losing a couple of already-written ones along the way).
Now, after all that--and I'm not completely finished with it--I find that I have too much time frame covered by too little story. Action begins on February 6, and the final confrontation will occur at a class reunion. Reunions can take place anytime but hereabouts they usually occur in April or May. So that's two to three months, and my story takes about six weeks.
Now I could change the time frame by either starting later or ending earlier. If I start later, I'll have to change a lot of references to weather. Ending earlier? As I said, reunions can take place anytime but would you buy one that occurs mid-March? It's beginning to warm up by that time here in Texas; in the Hill Country, where my story takes place, mid-March can be a glorious time for bluebonnets. Maybe that's why the organizers of the reunion chose that time to have it. Am I over thinking? Or am I just ber-serk cuz of all the hair-tearing I'm doing with the rearranging?
Now, after all that--and I'm not completely finished with it--I find that I have too much time frame covered by too little story. Action begins on February 6, and the final confrontation will occur at a class reunion. Reunions can take place anytime but hereabouts they usually occur in April or May. So that's two to three months, and my story takes about six weeks.
Now I could change the time frame by either starting later or ending earlier. If I start later, I'll have to change a lot of references to weather. Ending earlier? As I said, reunions can take place anytime but would you buy one that occurs mid-March? It's beginning to warm up by that time here in Texas; in the Hill Country, where my story takes place, mid-March can be a glorious time for bluebonnets. Maybe that's why the organizers of the reunion chose that time to have it. Am I over thinking? Or am I just ber-serk cuz of all the hair-tearing I'm doing with the rearranging?