So I went through my entries of my various End of Bliss chapters and renumbered them to match the current order. I'm not quite sure why I did this given how many times the order has changed. Probably because I don't have another chapter to post. I've been sick! Which is an excuse, but at least a valid one.

So I've been giving Jason's comment from yesterday some thought, and I have to admit, I'm stuck. I have the number of characters I want to include. I don't want to include any more, but I can't think of how to include a second advocate using any of the current characters. If I don't, though, then the story implies that all advocates are angst-ridden avengers of their own faith, which isn't the case. Bear is meant to be an exception, not the norm. His experiences with his mother's execution and his dedicated life of judging people is a razor's edge he walks that I think I'm failing to portray.

Also, something that's gone terribly astray from my original intentions (which isn't uncommon, but in this case the original intentions are better and where I still want to go), Advocates don't just judge Friars. They still judge normal people also. I need to find a means of showing this. I might have fucked up by not having Bear bring his red coat.

...and I should probably name red coat because I'm tired of calling it only red coat. I can't get past the reference to British soldiers (...although, the parallel between British and Brinish is appropriate in name at least).

So what do you do when you know what you've done is mediocre? Revise it would be the obvious decision, but I can't envision the beginning of BBQ starting any other way than it does now. I've cut the reference to Lord of the Rings from two paragraphs to two sentences, so hopefully that will help the pacing at the beginning, but it is very clearly a mediocre story. I don't like creating mediocrity. I want to create excitement and enthusiasm.

I'm going to finish the story, but if I can't improve it beyond its current state, it'll have to be shelved until I'm struck by inspiration on how to improve it. I like the scenes as they are currently crafted, which disappoints me that I couldn't accomplish more with them.