Developing the early twenties!

This will include a smaller selection of chapters than some of my other breakdowns. I wanted to make a breakdown for some of my favorites chapters through the course of this novels development and I hope to write a complete guide to The Burning Throne reflection process when I'm finished. I want to show you, the reader, some of my favorite scenes with these chapters. Let's get going and I hope you find what you like in here and might consider registering your interest when the novel comes out!

Beds/Look What the Guards Dragged In

I wanted to address the title change. Beds wasn't the best title and it doesn't encapsulate the scene. It is also not as dramatic and has no relevance to the scene. The guards dragging Nate into the room was the best idea and a play on dogs or cats dragging in animals as gifts. As Guards in the novel play a servant role i wanted them to act as 'dogs' and both metaphorically and psychically drag Nate kicking and screaming into the Throne room - a centerpiece of the text. Tensions run high in this scene and the fight against Lucifer and his blade is pressed against Nate's throat. You will need to read the rest of the scene to see how it is involved.

So much blood is in here. The whole book is practically covered in blood. Stabbings and knives and sweat and death and hate is swirling all around in this scene. A lot of changes of the senses - synestia - is used here and the fight rips Nate apart both physically and mentally. Dark and light imagery is used quite significantly here because the play of the Burning Throne is quite significant. you will have to figure out why when you read the novel. The close, intermate setting works effectively with their dynamic. I loved writing the setting for this scene and I would go as far to say it's one of - if not my - favorite scene(s) in the first act.

This dialogue conversation demonstrates the tension between them and the power dynamic and writing this part of the scene was what it needed.

Red lies and Green Truths/Nothing Better than Reformulation

I wanted to start this scene seconds after the last one ended. Tension is really high in this scene and I wanted it to be. Starting this sequence off, there needed to be some kind of tension and expectation of Nate. He has the knowledge that he has failed, but it takes a while for it to sink in. The writing quality here, I think, really works. It is on edge. I've tried to focus on the sensations Nate is feeling and trying to diffuse the situation with some humor from his voice. I also has the challenge of writing the tension infused with some kind of humor and balancing the two.

In the final manuscript, the formatting errors have been corrected. That is the great thing about using this blog to document the errors, multiple times I've gone through and written about a specific part of the scene only to realise that there is a spelling error or formatting error and I can make the product better for all of you when you can hold it in your hands soon!

Red and green lies as the title was dramatic, sure, but I wanted to add a little bit more cheek about it. I also wanted to work it for Erica's bedroom. As this is from Nate's perspective and Erica is the one doing the planning and reformulation for the most part, and Lucifer has found out about their plan, their next step is to reformulate it to make it foolproof, hinting the title.

Chapter 23/24: No bullets? No Problem

This chapter has this, not very traditional (for me) starting point, which on re-reading for this edit I love. This chapter, in the final version is separated into two different scenes. ill break them down when I can.

Hundreds of voices come when people are doing something fearful. With this both simultaneous experience and lack thereof in this scene, as the last time Erica made bullets to kill was back in her Assassin's days and those are too long to remember, there is a lack of experience and loss of knowledge. Like you forget why you gave up something you used to love. She needs to plan, and making these bullets, is a way to realise that plan and make it a reality. I love this introduction because it's not typical for me to start my scenes leading up to the action, and instead in it directly. I did this because I wanted a lead into the scene, as seeing Erica crafting bullets and dropping you, the reader, into the action, would have been way too jarring and leave you going into phases of 'wait, what the hell is going on? Where are my bearings?' In this case, I decided to make two scenes - Chapter Twenty three, which is as I'm writing this has an undetermined title - which I thought helped.

this piece is being edited - rather this section - was edited whilst I am sitting in bed with my phone on my lap talking to my amazing partner and honestly loving life at the moment. she is asleep and I'm editing my way through this chapter imagining her by my side. the yellow featured in this image is very simply a marker for myself after a long editing session and I want to make sure. Also don't edit on an empty stomach or edit if there is too much on your mind or you've got too little sleep because you won't be able to do your job to the way your editor/client will expect you to. Sleeping then writing works for me but there is a point where I need to call it quits. Also try not to edit on your bed.

Ready to Kill

There is a lot of tension here because this is Erica's work over the past few nights. She now has to brief Nate on the work she has done. I could have had a scene with them talking their plans though, but the more shocking, dramatic and story-ish thing to do is make it so that she presents it to him. Furthermore, this scene would hypothetically never go to waste because in either instance I could use the bullets and the gun to help Erica murder Lucifer.

if you've found this helpful, be sure ot check out some of my other blogs and maybe even more of the series! If you feel so included, you could even go and buy my novel when it comes out and regester your interest on the mailing list!