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parallax23Chapter 1: Hit the Ground Running
I made my deadline! (Without forcing it!) I only just now found the time to do the commentary. By the way, I'm shocked if I hear people read this. I really wasn't kidding about this journal being about my ideology when it came to writing and trying to analyze how people react to things.
I finally decided to post the second chapter of the first draft of Wake Me Up... as the first chapter of the new story. I re-wrote it to fit the new time frame that I designed. The first chapter of the original draft will be the second chapter, and the first chapter of the second draft will be a scene later on in the story. So I still am stalled and have only the second chapter. But I do know where I'm going with the story, and I was busy trying to decide how to set the scene for the new part of the story, so all I need now is to sit down and pen the next few chapters. The opening sequence of Wake Me Up... was the bane of my existence since I wrapped up Just Another 48 Hours in November.
How I decided on the opening chapter:
1) Max and Alec get the first scene in the story. The very first opening scene involved Asha and Logan, along with Rafer and several new throwaway characters. First off, throwaway characters are a mess and shouldn't be included at the start of a new story, especially if they have nothing to do with the two main characters. An opening chapter should focus on the main characters and/or an event that is extremely pertinent to the story. The original first chapter didn't fulfill either of these criteria. This was my main reason for pushing it back.
2) Asha and Logan don't have big roles in the story. Also, they're unpopular characters. Why put myself and the readers through that by opening with that? Plus it would be a detracting way to get new people to read it. And we once more find ourselves at the first point I made above.
3) I wanted to make it up to everyone for the way Just Another 48 Hours ended, but also not to jump to a place I didn't want the characters to be yet. Fight scenes are always fun, though I wish it was more visual than I wrote it.
4) I wanted both Max and Alec's perspectives, and this definitely balanced both the best.
5) I took a couple of cues from my best reviewed chapters of the prequel in the hopes of getting a good response.
Once that mess was over, I wasn't sure what the reaction would be to it. I mean, I knew there were a bunch of people following Just Another 48 Hours that would carry over and I was hoping that they'd like it. Yes, I keep tabs on that. Whoever says they're not is a big fat liar. Every time we write for a public venue, we have to remember our audience and try not to alienate them from the story. Anyway, I posted the chapter late at night and because I put my computer on hibernate, it saves my open windows so I don't have to log into everything again.
When I turned it on the next day, I was really bummed to see that there weren't any review alerts in my email. I had set my standards low, to like four. So I refreshed the page and voila! I had a huge surprise. I had fourteen reviews for the first chapter, which is the most I have ever gotten for a single chapter I've ever written, plus someone wonderfully reviewed every chapter of Just Another 48 Hours. Currently, the Chapter 1 of Wake Me Up... has eighteen reviews. Needless to say I'm sticker-shocked. I also feel like the first and last chapters of any story get more reviews than the middle chapters, especially for a serial story. Everyone is excited for a new start. The last chapter is kind of obligatory reviewing, even if you've been coasting through the middle chapters and don't have time, people tend to make an effort when they come to a stop.
Wow, this was a long entry.
**Edit: After talking to Shay and showing her the chapter, I'm glad that I did. I re-wrote the opening to be more visual, which I had felt was lacking. I couldn't "see" the action. I also like the new dialog with Dalton much better.
I made my deadline! (Without forcing it!) I only just now found the time to do the commentary. By the way, I'm shocked if I hear people read this. I really wasn't kidding about this journal being about my ideology when it came to writing and trying to analyze how people react to things.
I finally decided to post the second chapter of the first draft of Wake Me Up... as the first chapter of the new story. I re-wrote it to fit the new time frame that I designed. The first chapter of the original draft will be the second chapter, and the first chapter of the second draft will be a scene later on in the story. So I still am stalled and have only the second chapter. But I do know where I'm going with the story, and I was busy trying to decide how to set the scene for the new part of the story, so all I need now is to sit down and pen the next few chapters. The opening sequence of Wake Me Up... was the bane of my existence since I wrapped up Just Another 48 Hours in November.
How I decided on the opening chapter:
1) Max and Alec get the first scene in the story. The very first opening scene involved Asha and Logan, along with Rafer and several new throwaway characters. First off, throwaway characters are a mess and shouldn't be included at the start of a new story, especially if they have nothing to do with the two main characters. An opening chapter should focus on the main characters and/or an event that is extremely pertinent to the story. The original first chapter didn't fulfill either of these criteria. This was my main reason for pushing it back.
2) Asha and Logan don't have big roles in the story. Also, they're unpopular characters. Why put myself and the readers through that by opening with that? Plus it would be a detracting way to get new people to read it. And we once more find ourselves at the first point I made above.
3) I wanted to make it up to everyone for the way Just Another 48 Hours ended, but also not to jump to a place I didn't want the characters to be yet. Fight scenes are always fun, though I wish it was more visual than I wrote it.
4) I wanted both Max and Alec's perspectives, and this definitely balanced both the best.
5) I took a couple of cues from my best reviewed chapters of the prequel in the hopes of getting a good response.
Once that mess was over, I wasn't sure what the reaction would be to it. I mean, I knew there were a bunch of people following Just Another 48 Hours that would carry over and I was hoping that they'd like it. Yes, I keep tabs on that. Whoever says they're not is a big fat liar. Every time we write for a public venue, we have to remember our audience and try not to alienate them from the story. Anyway, I posted the chapter late at night and because I put my computer on hibernate, it saves my open windows so I don't have to log into everything again.
When I turned it on the next day, I was really bummed to see that there weren't any review alerts in my email. I had set my standards low, to like four. So I refreshed the page and voila! I had a huge surprise. I had fourteen reviews for the first chapter, which is the most I have ever gotten for a single chapter I've ever written, plus someone wonderfully reviewed every chapter of Just Another 48 Hours. Currently, the Chapter 1 of Wake Me Up... has eighteen reviews. Needless to say I'm sticker-shocked. I also feel like the first and last chapters of any story get more reviews than the middle chapters, especially for a serial story. Everyone is excited for a new start. The last chapter is kind of obligatory reviewing, even if you've been coasting through the middle chapters and don't have time, people tend to make an effort when they come to a stop.
Wow, this was a long entry.
**Edit: After talking to Shay and showing her the chapter, I'm glad that I did. I re-wrote the opening to be more visual, which I had felt was lacking. I couldn't "see" the action. I also like the new dialog with Dalton much better.