Slog, slog...
I'm struggling through the first real edit of Coin and Candle, and have reached Day 11 (there are 12 chapters - arranged in days - at the moment). And here's where it all gets sticky; there are two main viewpoints/plotlines weaving through the book, and plotline 2 (Adaon) needs some serious attention. Essentially I need to rework it so that he's more proactive at this point, and so that the general ruling Council aren't taking some stupid decisions.
So - it's mostly about a selection of debating chamber scenes; and working through the real motivations of Puppetmaster #2 - Lady Constance White.
That's the trouble with writing characters who are a lot smarter than you. :-) Sometimes it seems to be quite difficult to pin down what their real motives are, damn them. :-D
But I have been quite pleased up to this point with how little reworking has really been needed. Some continuity stuff, some reworking to get rid of passive voice or 'global' third-person viewpoint/narration. It's only here that it really needs a good kick.
I have a bunch of ideas; just need to reweave it a bit. Without substantially affecting the ending (because I like the ending!).
Happily I have to change very little of storyline #1 (Rikke).
And then, of course, it all gets much tricker - I'm going to have to dump 30k words somehow. Eep.
Oh, and little matter of chapter headers - I'd planned a little snippet of one of Hugo Vass's plays for each chapter, to give more exposure to Adaon's motivation, and to show off a little more of the world/culture. But that'll up the wordcount! Bah...
