Travis' Novel, Ch 2 pt 2 Up

[Travis]

As I ponder how this is shaping up, the more I realize that it was a very poor decision to jump into the story where I did. As Jidai pointed out, it would work well for an action movie, but not for a novel, at least, not as the introduction to the franchise. There is little room for character development and the great potential for an emotional end to the second chapter is all but lost because it is at the start of the novel.

 

Therefore, I have decided to start earlier in the story and build up to the big battle that you guys have read, then use the rest of what I have written (not posted yet) as the start of the second novel. That means I will start a few years prior (well into the war) and build up characters and the plot until it can reach the climax shown in the first few chapters (which will probably be expanded as there is more to tie up).

 

I have also decided to name the series "The Itollyn Chronicles" after the name of House Itollyn, the primary government/people/family that the series will focus on. The first novel will be titled "The End of All Things" with the second being "And So it Begins." The first title signifying the end of an era and the fall of the Empire, the second referring to the start of the new era and Thazius' struggle to adjust to the new universe.

[Jidai Geki]

If I might make a suggestion: if you're seriously hoping for publication, don't start thinking about sequels and a franchise already. It will tempt you to leave plotlines unresolved and what-not. I would make this first one as complete a story as you can, with as few references to sequels and overarching story arcs as possible.

[Travis]

Publication would be a bonus for me, honestly. I am doing this because I have a story to tell and would like to tell it in as entertaining a fashion as possible. If I can get published, great. If not, then oh well.

 

Either way, this novel will be a solid ending that can be read on its own. Though, it will be a rather somber ending (everything and most everyone dead and destroyed), it is an ending. Someone could read it as one solid piece of literature and walk away without a ton of questions unanswered. After all, it is pretty easy to wrap up loose ends when most everyone dies and both sides all but wipe each other out. Very nihilistic.