Day Eight - 16,273 words and counting

This month, I'm writing a novel. All my progress can be found on my private blog. The commentary for each day's work can be found below.

The next scene could go several different ways, and the one I chose ensures that I won't repeat myself later on. (That's a real danger with two cafeteria scenes in the works.) And as it turns out, it worked much better this way.

I love gossip and hearsay as an engine for plot. Because information is being reported second or thirdhand, the reader naturally questions the veracity of it. That way, I can bury truth amongst falsehood, and the reader doesn't know what to believe. I think it's a great way of hiding clues while establishing misdirection.

The characters of Pritchard, Lyall, and Nona emerged very organically. I liked the idea of their dynamic, born of long friendship, and their voices came out of that. Everyone in the market loves to gossip about everyone else in the market, and I got to use that to drive the plot forward--or at least, the subplot of Bryony trying to discover her past.

The appearance of Lowell at the end of the scene was a last minute addition, but I think it works. He was a throwaway character initially, just a POV that happened to be in the right place at the right time. But I think he may be too important to never revisit, and I believe he will be the first step in Bryony's investigation of her past.

I'm pretty sure that was the end of chapter four. Chapter five starts tomorrow. But whose POV will it be? At this point, even I don't know.

Today's Total: 2,250 / 1,689 words (133.2%)
Progress to Date: 16,273 / 13,509 words (120.5%, 1.6 days ahead)
Total Progress: 16,273 / 52,347 words (31.1%)