Long before I write a chapter, I try to visualise what will happen. I see a rough scene, and a conversation between those characters within. I decide who will be the main, and their motion throughout the chapter. Who they come to interact with comes second…
I then get a feeling of how they will interact, and what outcomes will prevail from what has been discussed or revealed in that short dialogue… Then I plan further to find a suitable ending to that stage of the tale, and thus round up to an ending of that chapter…
Then after much thought and re-reading said chapter, I take note of things that could have been said or done differently… This often creates a new scenario and more dialogue to craft to fit the narrative of that point, or whole chapter…
When doing an action filled chapter this also is adhered, in both dialogue and actions… I re-wrote a whole chapter eight times for the chapter titled Fires of Bannock… The actions were concise, the narrative and dialogue a little messy at times, but I felt that there should be a need of “Home comforts” amidst it… And suddenly out of nowhere, I found a young lad named Larrius…
A courier of the King of Redstone who was only to send word of reinforcements to come. and that he was (for unseen reasoning) thrown into the fray, and in doing so assisted in the defeat of the hordes. That was an unlooked for addition that was born of simplicity, and as such turned the tide of that battle…
To be sure though, even after thorough planning, some things emerge from the shadows, and even the light. People or actions that change the whole narrative of a chapter or whole tale.
As I write The Endurlon I keep finding that even the smallest of character interactions can grow into larger beings. Hal-en Boorstag was one of them. While Hal-en is the son of the Master of Dade, we was initially not a main character at first draft… yet, as I revisited that chapter, and had a need of guidance in the lands surrounding Dade. Hal-en suddenly became needed. So much that he became part of Geldrid’s company, and he is a character that I now cannot do without, for he keeps the world hopeful, and is a good hearted fellow…
Simply put, do not plan too deeply what you have for your chapters… You will have a deeply thought out plan I’m sure… But be aware that sometimes others and actions will change everything as you go… This includes re-reading and editing also…
Your tale is never finished, it is evolving as you go. The world you create begins to live, and breathes in it’s own manner… All you can do is follow it’s lead…
SD
