Being largely in research mode into the sort of bureaucracy that would be involved in the areas of conflict I am looking at for book 3, I’m the one doing the searching and asking the questions – which is fine in that area, but presented a tripping stone in another, an area where I am sorting out Va’el exploits – I found myself automatically taking on the same responsibility and going about it the same way (meaning I was the one doing the asking) which proved to be a mistake.

Rather than work out what Va’el and his group would be getting up to, I’m far better off asking Va’el what he and his group would be getting up to. A subtle difference, but a difference nevertheless. It’s much harder to make the decisions for him from outside the group, and far better to look through his eyes and mind and approach it from a personal perspective. That personal perspective must be taken from each of the others also.

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