I woke up well before the alarm went off.
The words in my head were shaking me awake.
For some time, I've had a sense that the opening chapter of the manuscript I'm currently working on was in need of...something. It didn't feel quite right.
And then there's the whole First Five Pages thing to consider.
There were simply too many names popping up within a four page span, and it's a direct violation of one of Noah Lukeman's key rules. But how to correct the matter?
Did I really need to name characters who'd appear later? It took a long time to realize that I could get by with a description to place their importance in the story without confusing the reader with a long cast of characters.
With that problem solved, I opened up other issues in regard to setting up the conflict that drives the protagonist. Putting in too much back story is forbidden, but some back story is necessary to explain why the man is at the point he's at, a willing participant in a political assassination.
Some of it was in my head as I opened my eyes before sunrise. The words won't let me sleep so there's no other option than to crawl out of a warm bed and sit before a glowing screen, typing new words to replace the old.
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