Book 1, Chapter 4
If you haven’t read Chapter 4 yet, you might want to download it and have a look before reading this blog post. If you haven’t read Chapters 1-3, that’s not a problem either. You can download them and get up to speed on everything you need on the Social Constructs page.
The winner for Chapter 4 was Option 2 but by a fairly small margin. The vote distribution this round was:
Option 1 = ~36%
Option 2 = ~46%
Option 3 = ~18%
There were fewer reader comments or suggestions this time, possibly because readers were busy with holidays and family or distracted by the news of war or tax season. Whatever the reason, I’m wondering if the story needs a little more action. The last couple of chapters have been pretty procedural, which can be fun for some—for those who like to track the method and logic of problem solving. But for those who read to find adventure or escape the mundanity of life (which often includes a lot of procedure). There’s no easy answer of how to balance the procedural with the action, particularly if you are trying to avoid formula fiction.
To spice things up, I’ve broken up the options you can select for what happens in Chapter 5. Instead of combining ideas and three making multi-faceted options, I’ve broken apart at least two questions about the plot development. Both those questions are about whether Alex should go to Peru. Based on your previous answers, many of you seemed hesitant to for her to go there already, possibly too impetuous or irrational.
My plan for the plot was always for her to go to Peru to find out what happens. Although if that isn’t the direction readers want to go, this can always be a funky armchair mystery that Alex solves (hopefully) from the comfort of home. Yet, if and when she goes needs to feel believable, even if not rational. The next chapter will be the fifth of around thirty (~17% of the way done), and all this is just something to consider in the broader plot development.
