Decisions, decisions...

[redorchids]

So. Here's where things are right now.

The Ryden backstory is completed. (going from 6 years earlier up to 2 months before the murders start)
This story is kind of ridiculously romantic, hopefully in a good way. :)

The Joncer backstory is almost completed. (going from 2 years earlier up to 2 months before the murders start)
This story has a very unhappy ending in its current version, because it's only the first half of the entire Joncer arc (and if you've read Nightingale, you know that things between Spencer and Jon are pretty bleak as the murders take off).

The Spyro backstory is written up until Christmas 2008 (Murder arc starts September 2009) and is kind of on a slow upgoing trend, where the relationship is starting to work a little better after having been through quite a bit of twists and turns.

Now, the ENTIRE arc for this story (in my head) spans for about 4 years longer than the murder arc. Because hearts take time to heal and so on. And there are elusive killers to catch (which will go into the Pete/Patrick dynamic post-Nightingale a bit as well). So it's a total of 15 years all-in-all, which, yes, pretty huge.

The original plan, as you know, was to tell the rest of the Nightingale story in two mirroring parts, one intervowen with the Joncer backstory, one with the Ryden one. And then probably do a sequel with what happens after the murders up until the ridiculously happy ending. The difficulty with this plan, as I've discovered when trying to puzzle the murder story and the Ryden backstory together, is that there is already SO MUCH character stuff in the murder storyline for Panic that when you add the backstory to it, the murder mystery kind of gets swallowed by it. Which I'm not totally comfortable with. (Also the pacing gets totally fucked, and this way, none of the murder stories will have actual closure in the sense that you get to know what happens with the killer.)

So now I'm wondering if it wouldn't actually work better to do it the other way around: do ONE Panic mirror, that handles both the Ryden and the Joncer arc (and the Spyro friendship in the background), which starts at the first murder, goes through the events of Nightingale in its first part and then continues into the aftermath and merges with the sequel. Meaning the backstories of how everyone met would be stand-alone prequels.

On the plus side:

+ I think it would actually make the murder arc more cohesive, because there would be more room to concentrate on the CSI stuff and to make the victims actual characters and tell some pretty cool backstories there.
+ I'd be able to post the stand-alones way sooner, like ready-for-BBB soon. (probably post the Ryden one for BBB and the other two during the summer)

One the minus side:

- The mirror wouldn't have the same format as the Peterick version, and there would only be one of them (though probably twice as big as I have a lot of story still to tell in the murder arc).
- Both the Joncer and Spyro prequels would end in kind of crappy places, since they're only parts of the overall story and the resolutions in them come in later.


Basically, this is a very long, rambly post to ask: If the story format was changed, would it make you guys less excited about it? :)

Cast your votes...

And here's a pretty picture of Brendon. :D

Comments

[kaytvengeance.livejournal.com]

I'm not entirely sure anything could make me less excited for these fics (except maybe suddenly making it Brencer *shudder*. As long as I get to read them at some point in my life (hopefully not too late lol) I will be happy. So change away.

On a slightly more helpful note, I like the idea of the murder arc being told in greater detail and seeing the victims as actual characters instead of just people who were murdered. I just scrolled up (after missing it first time) and saw that this would probably mean Ryden for BBB, so that definitely gets my vote!

[salire]

seconded~

[redorchids.livejournal.com]

Thank you. You've been one of the most excited people in all of this, so that means a lot. ♥

[salire]

(also: bb, i am reading your email as we speak, promise!)

[redorchids.livejournal.com]

are you also online? :DDDDDDD I would love to talk to you. <333333

[chicken-cookie.livejournal.com]

Uhhh... God, I don't really know. I'm leaning more towards saying, "Yeah, dude, totally change it," but I really do like it when writers work really hard on character development and relationships between characters, so it's difficult to decide.

I was kind of getting the feeling that the murder arc was getting lost in it all, though. And I DO have massive hearteyes for it, so... I'd say that it'd probably be best overall if you made the Panic! backstories a little bit more concise.

(Though, there's very little that you could do that would make me less excited about this story. :D)

[redorchids.livejournal.com]

That's what I've been feeling too. And I don't want the murder arc to get lost in all the relationship ~drama. :) Thanks, babes.

[reinventweather.livejournal.com]

The change sounds really great, actually! I think it would make it more of a mirror story. Also, that allows your BBB posting to not be a sequel. Technically, someone could read the Ryden backstory without even having read Nightingale (at least I think? and I mean, they totally should read Nightingale, but you know what I mean), and that might draw in more readers if that's something you want to consider.

[redorchids.livejournal.com]

Very good point. And yes, the Ryden backstory could definitely be read without having read Nightingale.
Thanks, babes. :)

[inthenameofjuc.livejournal.com]

IDEC, I just want it in my eyes NAO.

[redorchids.livejournal.com]

LOL. yay. :)

[inteligrrl.livejournal.com]

I don't think anything could make me less excited for this.

[redorchids.livejournal.com]

<3333333

[aileane47.livejournal.com]

I say you should just do what you feel most comfortable with. You've got us all very excited by the project, here, we just trust you to follow your instincts and it'll be awesome.

(that picture is awfully distracting)

[redorchids.livejournal.com]

Thank you. ♥

ikr? this is my favourite picture of Brendon right now. SO MUCH PRETTY!

[chibineko.livejournal.com]

I am so excited for these stories, but most importantly I'd like to read what you want to write. A reader can tell when the writer loses interest in the story or characters, and I'd hate to see that happen here, since Nightingale is so lively.

That said, I totally want whatever gets me more of this verse quickly, because I'm selfish that way.

[redorchids.livejournal.com]

Thank you. That means a lot. ♥
And I'm happy to say that there will be one story posting in BBB next month. And hopefully more over the summer. *crosses fingers*

[fluffysnow.livejournal.com]

I am definitely for the change. After all, you are the author, so you should decide what is better for you to write. And from you've said, I believe it would be better this way :)

[redorchids.livejournal.com]

Thank you. I really appreciate the input. <3