I tend to write from an idea rather than plan books out and mostly this works fine, except sometimes it bites me in the rear.

Ive just realised that the person to gain most from the happenings might just well be in charge of the humans. If you take a Matrix style view she could be the controlling computer, in which case every so often there will be an excess of humans and the wish to get rid of some, so a big invasion might just be an ideal way of doing this. Lots of people dead and everything can be reverted to an earlier state. It might have been going on for millions of years.

Instead of arriving at a colony world they could all have been stuffed inside a Matrix computer and none of them would ever know...

Even without that extreme option she could still be controlling it all, she has the motive, the capability, the opportunity and its very difficult, if not impossible, for anyone to be able to do anything against her.

Even finding out if shes a real person or the ships computer would be virtually impossible. Then again she could easily deal with anyone who found out the truth.

Then there is the Galadriel option (where Frodo offers her the one ring), has she been corrupted by the power of her position?

The problem is I now have so many directions that the plot can take its difficult to decide on which one...    :banghead:    

The problem is I now have so many directions that the plot can take its difficult to decide on which one...    :banghead:    

do it as adventure book... should blah blah do then turn to page xx

I didnt notice that there was a problem until I did some brainstorming...

There are also some rough sketches I have available that wont be going in.

They meet someone in a balloon. Except there is a rope on the ground, either loose or tied to something. The thing gets tangled around her ankle so shes off for a flight, upside down and no underwear...

Next into a tree, she grabs the top and the rope drops free but her bits are still visible to everyone below her. Total embarrassment, shes got a choice, let go or stay there, this is taken from her when the bit of the tree shes holding onto breaks off, so a trip through the branches to the ground.

This leads to a proposition, which she would respond to with a kick to the nads, The wife of this character turns up, finds what he done and KOs him with a frying pan

Then  up comes Lion and there is a text discussion between him and other men as to his bride to be.

As I said, in all probability it isnt going to be used and there are a few other bits like it.

Quote from: Serious

The problem is I now have so many directions that the plot can take its difficult to decide on which one...    :banghead:    

do it as adventure book... should blah blah do then turn to page xx

Heh, reminds me of those Goosebumps books I read as a kid. Even though they were over 100 pages long, the story was only ever about 20 pages whichever route you took!

Just done a bit more thinking and Elinor, the goddess style character, easily has the knowledge as well as the capability for genetic and cyborg enhancement. This could be problematic if she has to use it in order to tip the advantage a bit.

At least I can shove that on the back burner for this book at least...

I do journals for each of the mcs so its easy to see where they are after each chapter and its a good way of making sure its all covered and its consistent. Locations I use white-rooms and paint the details in subsequent drafts, it means I dont have to remember anything about wallpaper or carpet colour.

Using whiterooms  is a good idea, usually I will sketch a bit of a location in but leave it mostly blank, people are pretty good at creating the background for themselves.

Have tried record sheets for the characters but its a right pain keeping the things updated while you have loads of ideas pouring out and later I just dont feel up to it. I should though.

[edit]

Half way (50,000 words) and still have big issues.

Most of all I have just scrapped the original ending idea and the overall scheme isnt looking good. I still dont know who is responsible for it all. :/

Writers are supposed to know that sort of thing, they normally plan it before they start  :whoops:

[edit]

83,000 words, and I still havent started the return journey, nowhere near. Now it turns out that the lead female character has ended up arresting a traitor, trouble is the traitor is allowed to challenge the arresting person to a duel.

And beyond that shes still got to find a unicorn, get the genetic samples, send them back via airmail, get home and get married. When I started the first book I thought  "how the hell am I going to keep going for a 100,000 words?" now its more Ive only got a hundred thousand words to play with, how the hell am I going to finish in just that?

Im using owls to deliver packages, like Harry Potter but mechanical ones rather than real ones. Mostly communications is via pigeons, messengers or, very rare, radio.

Writing speed has tailed off a bit too.

I have a real problem to sorting out. How to tell the difference between a fake unicorn and a real one. There are some fake ones that have been genetically created, a few escape and breed in the wild and you have real problems finding a genuine example

I could just send the samples for testing but that may take forever and they might never find a real one. Equivalent to trying every combination available. Eventually you will know if you have a real one but you can never rule out a real one if you dont have a positive. A negative result is effectively impossilble.

So far the best idea I have had is fencing off an area and making sure there are no fake unicorns inside but that will take time.

Ive already thought of the old unicorns put their heads in the laps of virgins bit but the only women available are virgins. If they arent the unicorns wont turn up! The problem is the fake ones have been selected to do the same...

Carp?

Didnt you say something recently about getting things believable in your writing?  :shock:  :mrgreen:

:LOL: