I'm glad I'm not coming off pissy. There are just always all these thoughts, haha.
Hmmm, I like the idea of starting with the bomb scene. Although if I start with it, it would probably be Calla's POV instead of Kalen's like I was going to change it to. I don't like starting with Kalen's POV since he's kind of invisible in the book (although I'm trying to force him out more, too).
Or else... starting with just the scene of Brendan in the recruiting office after the bomb, followed by some flashbacks and then rage?
I do AND don't like the idea of splitting things up. Like, I think the splitting things up could solve some of the timing issues but I think it might be a bad idea to split things up too much early on with so many POV characters? Like it would make it too hard for the reader to keep track of or get invested in them? I don't know.
On the other hand, my idea for the ending is to do it in "snapshots". There is a major event that ends up being sort of a wakeup call for some/all of the characters at the end. Things have gotten pretty unpleasant and most of them need one. Anyway, my ending is supposed to be a bunch of "snapshots" (which to me, means shorter chapters) of that one day from each character's POV. So the idea of the beginning paralleling that appeals to me.
I kind of don't want to cut the (nonexistent) library scene now. It's a good way to set up the conflict between the two sides, and even though I don't want to give the reader the idea that the book is primarily about Kalen and Calla and their friendship, I think it's important. Otherwise, I don't think it feels believable for Calla to go through with the bomb thing? Granted, her life sucks and she's desperate, but the full extent of why her life sucks is better left for the middle of the book (it's too much for the beginning, I promise). And she's been taught her whole life to obey. They all have.
Although now that I think about it maybe I do need to play up the desperation of both their situations more than the friendship. I was just thinking how the only people who seem to be willing to break out of the "taught their whole lives to obey" thing in this story are people who are crazy or desperate. Well, and Wes, but we can file him under "crazy" because he exists outside the normal structure of things and he's super naive. Kalen and Calla aren't that crazy at the beginning so then I have to play up their desperation.
But Calla does sort of feel like it's Kalen's fault, afterward. It was his idea. They were his "insurgent" friends (oh lawd, Kalen, you dumb). None of this would have happened if she hadn't trusted him in the first place. So I'm torn.
Okay, I started to type up another possible arrangement but I know LJ is going to comment-limit me so let me put that in a separate comment.
Re: scene 2-kalen & calla thoughts
Hmmm, I like the idea of starting with the bomb scene. Although if I start with it, it would probably be Calla's POV instead of Kalen's like I was going to change it to. I don't like starting with Kalen's POV since he's kind of invisible in the book (although I'm trying to force him out more, too).
Or else... starting with just the scene of Brendan in the recruiting office after the bomb, followed by some flashbacks and then rage?
I do AND don't like the idea of splitting things up. Like, I think the splitting things up could solve some of the timing issues but I think it might be a bad idea to split things up too much early on with so many POV characters? Like it would make it too hard for the reader to keep track of or get invested in them? I don't know.
On the other hand, my idea for the ending is to do it in "snapshots". There is a major event that ends up being sort of a wakeup call for some/all of the characters at the end. Things have gotten pretty unpleasant and most of them need one. Anyway, my ending is supposed to be a bunch of "snapshots" (which to me, means shorter chapters) of that one day from each character's POV. So the idea of the beginning paralleling that appeals to me.
I kind of don't want to cut the (nonexistent) library scene now. It's a good way to set up the conflict between the two sides, and even though I don't want to give the reader the idea that the book is primarily about Kalen and Calla and their friendship, I think it's important. Otherwise, I don't think it feels believable for Calla to go through with the bomb thing? Granted, her life sucks and she's desperate, but the full extent of why her life sucks is better left for the middle of the book (it's too much for the beginning, I promise). And she's been taught her whole life to obey. They all have.
Although now that I think about it maybe I do need to play up the desperation of both their situations more than the friendship. I was just thinking how the only people who seem to be willing to break out of the "taught their whole lives to obey" thing in this story are people who are crazy or desperate. Well, and Wes, but we can file him under "crazy" because he exists outside the normal structure of things and he's super naive. Kalen and Calla aren't that crazy at the beginning so then I have to play up their desperation.
But Calla does sort of feel like it's Kalen's fault, afterward. It was his idea. They were his "insurgent" friends (oh lawd, Kalen, you dumb). None of this would have happened if she hadn't trusted him in the first place. So I'm torn.
Okay, I started to type up another possible arrangement but I know LJ is going to comment-limit me so let me put that in a separate comment.
And that "spoiler" is true. Very, very true.