Discoveries, Part 2

One of my favorite techniques in my novels and novellas is to have two or more POV characters. Usually they are on opposite sides of the key question, or one of them is in a position to have information that the other character doesn’t have. In my current novella, Prisoners of the Wailing Tower, I’ve mentioned my main character, Alemin. The next thing I have to discover is who the other POV character will be.

One possibility is Ar-Lizelle, prison warden at the Larder. Behind her back, people call her The Lizard. Ar-Lizelle is an evil mage, as any who serve Dar-Gothull’s regime would have to be. She is in the same location as Alemin, and certainly is adversarial. I’m not sure she would be able to find out things he doesn’t know, though. At least, not in a way that would drive the plot.

I also could bring in another of the Minstrels who might try to rescue Alemin from the Larder. So far, two members of the original troupe haven’t featured in a novella yet. They are Berisan, Alemin’s brother and partner in their juggling act, and Lorah, who had unresolved feelings for Alemin. Berisan seems like the obvious rescuer. However, Lorah is related to Ar-Lizelle, and there’s some great potential for drama if Lorah unknowingly sneaks onto her sister’s ground.

When I’m feeling my way through these writing conundrums, I often make a list for myself of all the ideas that could be combined. The first few ideas will be really obvious ones, and therefore predictable. But if I keep pushing myself, the ideas will become more interesting and useful.

So as I bring Alemin into the Larder and introduce the people who live there, I have some pondering to do. It’s going to be fun!

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