On the home stretch

This week I tackled the major time issue within the narrative and the solution turned out to be much easier than what I'd thought.

I was preparing to extend the span of time within the central part of the story. But that really wasn't going to work. Then I considered each of the scenes, and the time when they could/should happen, and I realised I was imposing unnecessary restrictions on myself.

I'm big on a story having internal logic. It doesn't matter how fantastic or unbelievable the story is, as long as it has internal logic, I'm happy to go with it. But I realised that internal logic wasn't really an issue in my narrative, it was me trying to impose an 'average' rather than accept that, in this case, 'average' didn't apply.

Hmm, this probably isn't making much sense. What I'm trying to say is, that when it comes to any health issue, including mental health issues, there are likely scenarios, a reasonably predictable path for how the illness will unfold. But that doesn't mean the illness will unfold that way.

The common cold, for example, usually lasts about 4 or 5 days. But some people will get over a cold in 2 days, others it may take 10. With depression, usually it's an illness that evolves slowly over a long time period, but it can hit quite quickly, especially if it's triggered by an event.

Tash is suffering from a mental illness. It's taking a rare, although not unknown, form. It is both a reaction to a recent event, as well as to events that she has buried and no longer consciously remembers. I want there to be some logic in the way the development of her illness is portrayed, because I want readers to believe it and to understand her suffering. But that doesn't mean it has to be a classic, text book case.

Every individual suffers in their own way. Their suffering may share common aspects with others, but, in the end, no matter what illness or personal crisis you are dealing with, in the end it is entirely your own experience. So as a writer, I need to step back and accept that Tash's illness is manifesting and progressing in a way that is hers, and only hers.

After all, staying true to your characters is one of the most important aspects of internal logic.