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The Future of Teddy Bears On Brigade
🕑 Added 2024-12-10 17:08:59 +0000 UTCHello all!
By now I imagine that most of you have seen my announcement post, and know that I'll be increasing the number of chapters I crank out. One of the things I promised myself while making that post was not to sacrifice quality for quantity, and that got me thinking.
I'd like to know what you honestly think about the current TBoB book 3.
When I started brainstorming ideas for book three, I wanted to try and avoid just jumping directly to the global incursion and when I came up with the idea of a giant, Cyberpunk 2077 sized corporate war, it tickled my brain.
That being said, I'm not in love with the current arc. It has some great moments, strung together with some less than stellar ideas. I could not pull it together as coherently as I wanted to, leaving may ideas disjointed. In addition to that, I've done some stuff I'm not totally in love with, like popping the incursion to add tension. In truth I was looking for ways to extend the book, and I don't think it fits as naturally as I want it too. It feels forced.
I want to aim for the same sort of quality that the cavern arc (end of book 2), and I don't feel like I'm achieving it with the current arc.
I'm starting to think that it might be smarter for me to ditch the current story-line, and restart book 3 with the start of the global instead. Some of you may be aware that this isn't the first time I considered doing this, I even wrote a start of the incursion chapter a couple weeks ago.
Are you guys enjoying it? Do you think I should continue the current arc, or would you like something a little more focused, and reminiscent of TBoB book 2? Even though I'm half way through the book, I'd rather abandon something no one enjoys half way through, and start again, than put out something I'm not proud of.
I'll probably do one more of the current arc, then wait for your feedback before deciding what to do. Since I'm planning on taking a short break from TH releases at the end of book 1 (Not writing, just releases) This would be the ideal time to reboot TBoB too, and get a backlog going on new stuff.
I'd really appreciate your honesty on this, and dont worry about hurting my feelings. I really just want to do whats best for the story.
NOTE: While reading the comments I was reminded of something I need to add. I will NOT be throwing out the chapters I've already written. The new arc will be primary, while these chapters will be put on the back burner for re-work. As I mentioned I have both a day for edits, and a couple other story slots, so it'll get love eventually, no matter what.
Comments
Shannon Livingston
🤔 Thanks for the feedback. I might try to do some edits I've the weekend, and try to get things to flow smoother based upon people's feedback
Colin Blair
I am now caught up. I actually dropped out back in October when it was Teddy and Helen investigating. I enjoyed this arc, but without the incursion I think it would have failed. The Arclight dialogue was slightly annoying, but I think the resolution of that dialogue hasn’t happened yet.
Davvy chappie
Honestly her acting as ref was rather interesting, also fits as her not getting involved with the corps like on talking level. More big stick diplomacy and making sure the water stays running
Shannon Livingston
That's exactly what I thought too. Extremely interesting concept, but it was implemented.... unevenly. Some parts I had a very clear vision, other parts come across like filler. I think part of the problem is that Teddy is pretty much an outside observer, and I had to jump over hoops to get her involved. Ironically I think one of the better chapters was when she was arguing with Mirage, telling him she didn't want to get involved. Then I spent a ton of time trying to get her invovled anyways. Sigh... once I finish chapters today I'm going to take all the chapters I wrote and see if I can figure out a better way to string parts together.
Davvy chappie
I won't lie, the concept of the idea is rather interesting and it would be a shame to lose it, but if the stove isn't hot you can't do much cooking. I do feel like the story lost a bunch of its steam so to speak with the incursion. A urban warfare setting from different POV instead of teddy's. And you can only see her action through the eyes of the soldiers.
Shannon Livingston
Well, the aug plan is a good example of what I feel is wrong with this arc. I've been jumping from one thing to another, without covering all the points. There are a ton of things that should have seen love beyond the prologue, which have fallen by the wayside. The bob part is also a good example of the problem I had. That, the power plant part, and the day off all feel much more organic, and right for teddy, but between them there's a lot of forced scenes. None of them are terrible, but I feel like I could have planned them out better so things flowed, and it didn't feel like I was jumping between a bunch of un-related scenes.
Shannon Livingston
That was my concern. It's felt very hit or miss for me, and apparently I wasn't the only one. Thanks for your honesty.
Joshua Millins
Current arc does need some work but it fits thematically with Teddy and her methodology. That and watching Bob bust a tank was a true gem. You could make it a shorter arc and have a secondary arc within book 3. Maybe another excursion out of Calgary. Or more of the busy work she does within the undercity. She still hasn't rolled out her augment upgrade plan she mentioned to Leah has she?
Asur
I really enjoyed the arc til the start of the inspection of the walls. The actual invasion was fine as well but the incursion made me actually drop it.
