Domici wrote:
Teyn Greenhood wrote:
It was pretty bad though because I was writing and going, "Uh, they aren't going to have this conversation this week at the rate they're moving, and I need to write it
this week." So I succumbed to my great weakness last night- making gaps in the storyline.

Ah, young Padawan, let me teach you the ways of the Force (of Revision). Gaps are your friend, indeed, a comfort and a tool. Embrace the gap now; then fill in the story with depth learned from the far side of the tale.
To be less wordy, don't worry about a gap. I have whole books as gaps; I've learned stuff in Book 4 that I now set up in Book 1. For example, early in Book 4 Al tells Dede about a "vacation" where she learned to sky dive. That wasn't mentioned anywhere. Now it is. Like, as of this week's edits for Book 1.
Yeah, except my problem is that I write the same scenes and leave the same gaps. Then I end up writing something like this: *insert conversation* *insert fight scene* *insert attack on this particular city* *insert this life-and-death conversation* *insert scene where this character dies* *insert happy ending*. (I have literally done this, no joke.)
*headdesk*
And my characters are like, "Uh, how exactly did I get here?"
Me: "Oh, I kind of skipped that part - not sure when I'm going to write it - but just roll with it and be miserable/fine now."
Characters: "...sure..."
(or in Renn's case: "I'm supposed to know about who my parents are, but you haven't told me yet! Wait, I'm seriously that person? No, no. He died, thought he died at least. I guess I'm still alive or... I'm so confused.")