Writing Writer returning to writing long stories, but... Multiple problems are up now that I'm back.

[Sylverius]

TLDR:

1. How do you make a tragic incident that isn't just a stupid plot device that just makes the character move along and continue the story?

2. Main character's someone who can do many things, a jack-of-all-trades... But I don't want that. Rather, I want him to be a sort of guy who's very good at logic and fighting, but also weak in other departments, but with him being good at logic and fighting, I can't seem to make a weakness other than overpowering him with brute strength.

3. Cliffhangers... How???

Long version:

Okay so, after writing multiple short stories (that only span 1 chapter) for a few months/weeks now I lost track of time, I've gotten to writing my original series again... Well, rewrite it because of how BAD my other version was.

During my time of making short stories, I've mainly focused on drama; focusing on characters and their personalities while showing their best and worst sides to their partner (be it lover or friend) or even going for developing a sort of "spark" in one another.

After some more thinking and consideration, I decided to go ahead and revisit my old roots again... Only to realize why I even left it in the first place. After trying to rewrite it again, I've encountered 3 main problems... I'll enumerate them.

First things first, how do you make a tragic incident that isn't just a stupid plot device that just makes the character move along and continue the story?

Now I know it sounds weird, like "Oh, why don't you just make it important then?" well here's the thing... For some reason, I can't find a way to put in that part again. Yeah, the tragedy goes how MC's entire village got razed by a super powerful God-like entity that wishes to stop an incoming prophecy that involves him. He and his friends manage to escape, they find a teacher, so on and so forth, but like I said, I can't put a reminder of that tragedy anywhere.

Next is the main character... Haha... For some reason, he's the most hated character I've ever made. The main character can do everything, a jack-of-all-trades... But I don't want that. Rather, I want him to be a sort of guy who's pretty good at logic and fighting, but also weak in other departments, but with him being "good at logic and fighting", I can't seem to make a weakness other than overpowering him with brute strength. I've thought of ways of him fighting, using more of his sight and imagination than just relying on his physical and magical capabilities to make rational actions that helps him get an edge over his opponents. He also specializes in basic, simple magic that not only catches opponents by surprise, but also is very efficient due to the ways he uses them. Instead of relying purely on magic, he relies on tools along with magic. Instead of just using magic to make a controlled explosive, he just throws makeshift bombs that then get activated by his magic to make a controlled explosive in his own way, things like that that rely more on creativity than strength and talent, but I hate just how easily he can just... Do things without struggling that much. While others train hard, he just picks up what he can and does what he can with it.

Finally, cliffhangers... Seriously, I just have 0 clue on how to even make a cliffhanger. I might, but it doesn't make any sort of hype for me, even when I read it as a reader.

I've been pondering over these for 3 days straight (with this being the 4th and tomorrow will be the 5th seeing as it's late at night right now where I am), and yet now, I'm still clueless over what to do with these things.

 

[RepresentingWrath]

Welcome back!

 

[LilRora]

1. The way I see it, the tragic incident has to concern something you showed was important. The main reason why many revenge stories feel bland is because readers are immediately hit with the betrayal, without first establishing and showing (that one is important - show not tell you've probably heard a number of times already, and time cause it takes time for the readers to like something you're gonna take away) what makes it so hurtful.

When you do it this way, you have empty space that had been occupied by something important to the main character, and that is missing after the thing. A simple example would be showing how a pair of friends have fun together - ideally a number of separate times - then one friend moves away and suddenly that time spent with them has to be filled up in a different way.

2. Consider what's his strong suit in regards to fighting specifically. Does he rely on intuition? Positioning? Tactics? Power? Technique? Those can also extend to other matters, for example if someone relies on tactics, he'll probably have an analytical mind and be good with thinking and with maths. On the other hand, if someone relies on intuition, it's likely he will be bad at calculations and planning.

Also consider more mundane things. They open up a new avenue for traits; he can be easily bored and atrociously bad at long and monotonous tasks, or he can be bad with delicate matters and clumsy with his fingers. Those won't really show when fighting.

3. No experience, so I can't help much, but there's a story Saintess Summons Skeletons that does them amazingly.

As a reader, I say that cliffhangers should be done when there's a abrupt change of mood. So for example don't chop your fight in two without thought, but find a moment when something important happens, such as a surprise attack, a kill, or when someone's sword breaks.

 

[Rhaps]

1. PTSD exists, show something that may seem insignificant to other characters but trigger traumatic memories of the MC, like a character finding a cool trinket that make the MC goes apeshit in terror.

2. MC that don't struggle much, have someone that outsmarts him and act as a foil to the MC. If you feel like he's too bland, add more personality. Like in my story, the MC is a prideful asshole that constantly find new ways to screw people over for her own amusement. Have him think of ways to diverse his arsenal, a one trick pony can only do one trick after all.

3. The easiest way to create a cliff hanger is to take the first part of the next chapter and make it the end of the previous chapter, like the Romance of Three Kingdoms books do to keep the readers engage.

 

[Deleted member 166076]

1. How do you make a tragic incident that isn't just a stupid plot device that just makes the character move along and continue the story?

2. Main character's someone who can do many things, a jack-of-all-trades... But I don't want that. Rather, I want him to be a sort of guy who's very good at logic and fighting, but also weak in other departments, but with him being good at logic and fighting, I can't seem to make a weakness other than overpowering him with brute strength.

3. Cliffhangers... How???

For the first, you have to add foreshadowing. Maybe you have the MC catch a news segment talking about recent events and you sneak something in about there being a string of recent bank robberies. Then you have the MC go about his day, talk about how excited he is about a date with someone later that night, maybe he has to go to the bank to withdraw money because the restaurant only accepts cash, and then he gets caught up in a bank robbery and ends up dying due to bad luck. Basically, make it seem like the mini arc isn't about him dying to be transmigrated and then add the foreshadowing before executing the tragic death sequence. Same thing within the main story, you have to lay a trail of breadcrumbs while other events are happening.

For the second, give your MC a college major, a set of jobs or a trade that he is knowledgeable in. Maybe they are a martial arts instructor for a living, but started out going to college to study history and he has a hobby of going camping and watching survivalist videos. Now he can camp, knows basics history knowledge, and can defend himself in the new world, but he won't know anything about fashion, more than basic cooking knowledge, or much else. This establishes background, making them less of a Gary Stu, and it has built-in lapses of knowledge that you have to work around. Most people know a little about a lot of things with only a specialty in a few areas, so this is more realistic anyhow.

For the third one, you don't always have to have a cliff hanger. They should come naturally when you're writing the story or not be used at all. Readers don't want every other chapter to be a cliff-hanger and they should be used very sparingly. Maybe the MC will be in the middle of a fight and look like they are about to lose and then you end the chapter only to have some bigger badder antagonist show up the next chapter and your MC runs away to live another day. Then, later on, when they've powered up, they can try to take on the weaker antagonist again with the bigger, badder antagonist saved for the future. Honestly, you can write most stories without ever using a cliff-hanger.

 

[melchi]

1. How do you make a tragic incident that isn't just a stupid plot device that just makes the character move along and continue the story?

Stupid plot devices have their place. The advantage of making something tragic happen suddenly and without warning it that it doesn't come across as torture porn by writing chapters and chapters of people being burned alive from the attack.

2. Main character's someone who can do many things, a jack-of-all-trades... But I don't want that. Rather, I want him to be a sort of guy who's very good at logic and fighting, but also weak in other departments, but with him being good at logic and fighting, I can't seem to make a weakness other than overpowering him with brute strength.

This is just basic world building. How much does 1 trade cost? Does it take x days to get good at it? Does it take y amount of money to begin it? How much practice does it take to be good at fighting?

Basic economics: The cost of something is what you give up to get it. The reason why jack of all trade protags suck is because it is like they didn't give up anything to get there.

For example: If someone dedicates their life to the sword, there are lots of other things they are not doing because, that would be against the definition of dedication. What are these things?

3. Cliffhangers... How???

Meh, I don't like them. Unless you write chapters as long as j_chemist then some of the chapters will end up being cliffhangers by accident. Trying to force it just makes the story edgy.

 

[TheEldritchGod]

First things first, how do you make a tragic incident that isn't just a stupid plot device that just makes the character move along and continue the story?

Now I know it sounds weird, like "Oh, why don't you just make it important then?" well here's the thing... For some reason, I can't find a way to put in that part again. Yeah, the tragedy goes how MC's entire village got razed by a super powerful God-like entity that wishes to stop an incoming prophecy that involves him. He and his friends manage to escape, they find a teacher, so on and so forth, but like I said, I can't put a reminder of that tragedy anywhere.

Okay. There's your problem. Why is it a godlike entity? How about, a ruthless warlord who just believes that the only way to make the world safe is to kill everyone who sucks?

Next is the main character... Haha... For some reason, he's the most hated character I've ever made.

Says who?

The main character can do everything, a jack-of-all-trades... But I don't want that.

I don't understand. Why can he do everything?

Rather, I want him to be a sort of guy who's pretty good at logic and fighting, but also weak in other departments, but with him being "good at logic and fighting", I can't seem to make a weakness other than overpowering him with brute strength.

Who's forcing you?

Finally, cliffhangers... Seriously, I just have 0 clue on how to even make a cliffhanger. I might, but it doesn't make any sort of hype for me, even when I read it as a reader.

Watch the first season of true blood.

Don't watch past that.

 

[PancakesWitch]

Overly logical characters suffer from being unable to understand emotions and people around them. His struggles could be how he cannot understand people's emotions, what drives them, and more, and him actively trying to understand more by learning about these people he takes interest in and their past. He could also come out as cruel to most people so he would be kind of hated, and he might even be asocial, so he'd struggle with society as a whole.

 

[2wordsperminute]

Finally, cliffhangers... Seriously, I just have 0 clue on how to even make a cliffhanger. I might, but it doesn't make any sort of hype for me, even when I read it as a reader.

Write a 4k word chapter. Cut it in half at the most tense point.

 

[mysterious_cube]

I have several ideas for weaknesses:
-a need for preparation
-a bad personality (laziness, arrogance, impulsiveness, etc)
-a lack of knowledge
-a need for resources (where does he get his bombs?)
-a curse or injury that prevents him from fighting at full capacity

You could also maintain tension by creating situations that don't revolve around logic or fighting (such as moral dilemmas or romance), or by creating situations where he can't use his tools

 

[CarburetorThompson]

1. How do you make a tragic incident that isn't just a stupid plot device that just makes the character move along and continue the story?

Give an event a lasting impact. If you look at nearly any tragic incident in the last 100 years there is some type of effect, something that was changed because of it.

I don’t really know how to describe it so I‘ll give examples.

Post 9/11 airliner cabin doors are reinforced with bulletproof material and internal locking mechanism. Post German Wings 9525 two people are required inside cockpit at all times, and countries with private medical records no longer extend that right to pilots.

Some idiot left a pressure cooker at my local train station, and the event scared people enough that now all the trash cans there are made out of glass.

A tragic event doesn’t have to have societal level impact either, it can be personal. Maybe a character knows someone who drowned at sea and because of that has apprehension about going in boats.

Basically just give the tragic event lasting changes on the characters or setting.

2. Main character's someone who can do many things, a jack-of-all-trades... But I don't want that. Rather, I want him to be a sort of guy who's very good at logic and fighting, but also weak in other departments, but with him being good at logic and fighting, I can't seem to make a weakness other than overpowering him with brute strength.

Surprise attacks. Even if you‘re good at fighting you can’t avoid/block an attack you don’t see or expect.

Betrayal. This is an extension of surprise attacks. Maybe character is someone who always sees the good in people, so is overly trusting and prone to extending a hand to those who will stab them in the back. (Think this is pretty typical for shonen characters)

Non combat related weakness. Just because someone is logical doesn’t mean they can’t have vices. Maybe a character is an alcoholic and because of that is sometimes hungover/drunk decreasing their combat abilities in certain scenarios.

3. Cliffhangers... How???

Think about stories that kept your interest the whole way through, where you felt forced to turn the next page.

For me it was stories like Ubel Blätt or Unlimited Blade Works. Not the biggest fan of UBL but it did a good job with cliff hangers and holding tension.

Maybe you could also have variable chapter length. Write your chapters without worrying about word count, and then divide them up into sections that hold interest well.

Idk, this is all off the top of my head, hope it helps in any way

 

[Verdant]

TLDR:

1. How do you make a tragic incident that isn't just a stupid plot device that just makes the character move along and continue the story?

2. Main character's someone who can do many things, a jack-of-all-trades... But I don't want that. Rather, I want him to be a sort of guy who's very good at logic and fighting, but also weak in other departments, but with him being good at logic and fighting, I can't seem to make a weakness other than overpowering him with brute strength.

3. Cliffhangers... How???

Long version:

Okay so, after writing multiple short stories (that only span 1 chapter) for a few months/weeks now I lost track of time, I've gotten to writing my original series again... Well, rewrite it because of how BAD my other version was.

During my time of making short stories, I've mainly focused on drama; focusing on characters and their personalities while showing their best and worst sides to their partner (be it lover or friend) or even going for developing a sort of "spark" in one another.

After some more thinking and consideration, I decided to go ahead and revisit my old roots again... Only to realize why I even left it in the first place. After trying to rewrite it again, I've encountered 3 main problems... I'll enumerate them.

First things first, how do you make a tragic incident that isn't just a stupid plot device that just makes the character move along and continue the story?

Now I know it sounds weird, like "Oh, why don't you just make it important then?" well here's the thing... For some reason, I can't find a way to put in that part again. Yeah, the tragedy goes how MC's entire village got razed by a super powerful God-like entity that wishes to stop an incoming prophecy that involves him. He and his friends manage to escape, they find a teacher, so on and so forth, but like I said, I can't put a reminder of that tragedy anywhere.

Next is the main character... Haha... For some reason, he's the most hated character I've ever made. The main character can do everything, a jack-of-all-trades... But I don't want that. Rather, I want him to be a sort of guy who's pretty good at logic and fighting, but also weak in other departments, but with him being "good at logic and fighting", I can't seem to make a weakness other than overpowering him with brute strength. I've thought of ways of him fighting, using more of his sight and imagination than just relying on his physical and magical capabilities to make rational actions that helps him get an edge over his opponents. He also specializes in basic, simple magic that not only catches opponents by surprise, but also is very efficient due to the ways he uses them. Instead of relying purely on magic, he relies on tools along with magic. Instead of just using magic to make a controlled explosive, he just throws makeshift bombs that then get activated by his magic to make a controlled explosive in his own way, things like that that rely more on creativity than strength and talent, but I hate just how easily he can just... Do things without struggling that much. While others train hard, he just picks up what he can and does what he can with it.

Finally, cliffhangers... Seriously, I just have 0 clue on how to even make a cliffhanger. I might, but it doesn't make any sort of hype for me, even when I read it as a reader.

I've been pondering over these for 3 days straight (with this being the 4th and tomorrow will be the 5th seeing as it's late at night right now where I am), and yet now, I'm still clueless over what to do with these things.

The protagonist sounds overpowered physically but I doubt they’re perfect mentally. Inner turmoil like being socially inept/having no idea what to do in life/overcoming trauma/etc would work pretty well from what I hear of this character. This character’s personality could be stunted and very depressed as a result of their backstory which would make it incorporated into the story.

Lastly, cliffhangers are just essentially a problem that gets introduced which isn’t solved in the chapter. It could also be a total flip in theme (like starting off with altruistic ideas and ending with malevolent ideas) or introducing something grand (like suddenly finding an underground city at the end of the chapter). Cliffhangers should above all else not make the reader satisfied. I’m talking about serialized novels instead of book endings since this applies more. Additionally, readers should wonder “What’s going to happen next” or “Why did they do this?” or something like that.

 

[Sylverius]

These are all wonderful tips, but I think I should clarify on some stuff just to give some more background.

Welcome back!

Thanks mate!

1. The way I see it, the tragic incident has to concern something you showed was important. The main reason why many revenge stories feel bland is because readers are immediately hit with the betrayal, without first establishing and showing (that one is important - show not tell you've probably heard a number of times already, and time cause it takes time for the readers to like something you're gonna take away) what makes it so hurtful.

When you do it this way, you have empty space that had been occupied by something important to the main character, and that is missing after the thing. A simple example would be showing how a pair of friends have fun together - ideally a number of separate times - then one friend moves away and suddenly that time spent with them has to be filled up in a different way.

Good tip, I'll note it down.

2. Consider what's his strong suit in regards to fighting specifically. Does he rely on intuition? Positioning? Tactics? Power? Technique? Those can also extend to other matters, for example if someone relies on tactics, he'll probably have an analytical mind and be good with thinking and with maths. On the other hand, if someone relies on intuition, it's likely he will be bad at calculations and planning.

Also consider more mundane things. They open up a new avenue for traits; he can be easily bored and atrociously bad at long and monotonous tasks, or he can be bad with delicate matters and clumsy with his fingers. Those won't really show when fighting.

I guess you're right, I should consider glaring weaknesses of his personality instead of his actions.

1. PTSD exists, show something that may seem insignificant to other characters but trigger traumatic memories of the MC, like a character finding a cool trinket that make the MC goes apeshit in terror.

While PTSD is a good idea, it's not that he's traumatized at how his family and village was killed, but more of that he's very angry at the killer, which is the whole reason of him getting stronger.

2. MC that don't struggle much, have someone that outsmarts him and act as a foil to the MC. If you feel like he's too bland, add more personality. Like in my story, the MC is a prideful asshole that constantly find new ways to screw people over for her own amusement. Have him think of ways to diverse his arsenal, a one trick pony can only do one trick after all.

I'll note it down, but I have a feeling I'll do this one.

For the second, give your MC a college major, a set of jobs or a trade that he is knowledgeable in. Maybe they are a martial arts instructor for a living, but started out going to college to study history and he has a hobby of going camping and watching survivalist videos. Now he can camp, knows basics history knowledge, and can defend himself in the new world, but he won't know anything about fashion, more than basic cooking knowledge, or much else. This establishes background, making them less of a Gary Stu, and it has built-in lapses of knowledge that you have to work around. Most people know a little about a lot of things with only a specialty in a few areas, so this is more realistic anyhow.

Unfortunately, what I did was that he doesn't have much memories of his past. Rather, what he inherits is his quality in his past life; imagination, thinking process, and etc. that far differs from the inhabitants of the new world he's in. For example, his main mastery is barrier magic. Instead of using it as a mere barrier, he uses it as a weapon of sorts, creating swords or gauntlets out of barriers, while combining wind magic to create ranged attacks, and at times using fire magic to create distractions.

Maybe I should change about that part of his past...

Basic economics: The cost of something is what you give up to get it. The reason why jack of all trade protags suck is because it is like they didn't give up anything to get there.

For example: If someone dedicates their life to the sword, there are lots of other things they are not doing because, that would be against the definition of dedication. What are these things?

Good idea, I'll consider this when rewriting him.

Unless you write chapters as long as j_chemist then some of the chapters will end up being cliffhangers by accident. Trying to force it just makes the story edgy.

Yeeeaaahhhh that's my same opinion...

Okay. There's your problem. Why is it a godlike entity? How about, a ruthless warlord who just believes that the only way to make the world safe is to kill everyone who sucks?

The God-like entity finds an old prophecy that tells of the MC being the one who would start the end of the world. The God-like entity's duty is to make the world safe from insane threats that the inhabitants won't be able to stop/fight and so, he does his duty. He also knows that if given the time to prepare, even he would have a hard time to fight against the MC's village, especially his father, so he takes them all by surprise when they're all tired and sleepy from a party.

Says who?

Me, my friends, my family. Mainly me.

I don't understand. Why can he do everything?

Versatility and flexibility. Rather than that he can do "everything", he's just good at fighting in the moment. Because he can use all elements (mainly focusing on barrier magic), he can do many things with those such as distractions, ways of hindering or slowing down movement, or ranged attacks.

Who's forcing you?

Not who, what. I don't know what sort of weakness I should put in him, but as LilRora has pointed out, I should put the weaknesses more on personality instead, and now that I think about it, it should help me think of a weakness that he can have in combat.

Watch the first season of true blood.

Don't watch past that.

Noted.

Overly logical characters suffer from being unable to understand emotions and people around them. His struggles could be how he cannot understand people's emotions, what drives them, and more, and him actively trying to understand more by learning about these people he takes interest in and their past. He could also come out as cruel to most people so he would be kind of hated, and he might even be asocial, so he'd struggle with society as a whole.

Oooooh that's a really good tip.

Write a 4k word chapter. Cut it in half at the most tense point.

Noted, but it looks like I'll have to follow that one.

I have several ideas for weaknesses:
-a need for preparation
-a bad personality (laziness, arrogance, impulsiveness, etc)
-a lack of knowledge
-a need for resources (where does he get his bombs?)
-a curse or injury that prevents him from fighting at full capacity

You could also maintain tension by creating situations that don't revolve around logic or fighting (such as moral dilemmas or romance), or by creating situations where he can't use his tools

These are good ideas for weaknesses actually, I'll note them down, thanks!

Give an event a lasting impact.

A tragic event doesn’t have to have societal level impact either, it can be personal. Maybe a character knows someone who drowned at sea and because of that has apprehension about going in boats.

Basically just give the tragic event lasting changes on the characters or setting.

Yes but that's the thing: I don't know when and how to insert said impact.

Surprise attacks. Even if you‘re good at fighting you can’t avoid/block an attack you don’t see or expect.

Non combat related weakness. Just because someone is logical doesn’t mean they can’t have vices. Maybe a character is an alcoholic and because of that is sometimes hungover/drunk decreasing their combat abilities in certain scenarios.

More good ideas, thanks!

The protagonist sounds overpowered physically but I doubt they’re perfect mentally. Inner turmoil like being socially inept/having no idea what to do in life/overcoming trauma/etc would work pretty well from what I hear of this character. This character’s personality could be stunted and very depressed as a result of their backstory which would make it incorporated into the story.

I think a good way to sum up his personality is that he's more of a realist because of him watching his village and family die. He's not emotionally mature, but instead, he's more down to earth.

Lastly, cliffhangers are just essentially a problem that gets introduced which isn’t solved in the chapter. It could also be a total flip in theme (like starting off with altruistic ideas and ending with malevolent ideas) or introducing something grand (like suddenly finding an underground city at the end of the chapter). Cliffhangers should above all else not make the reader satisfied. I’m talking about serialized novels instead of book endings since this applies more. Additionally, readers should wonder “What’s going to happen next” or “Why did they do this?” or something like that.

Noted.

There are some I couldn't quote, mainly because I just don't know what to say about them, but hopefully this gives enough insight about my gripes, but if not, I can provide even more.

Thank you guys for all the tips!

 

[BloodCeremony]

1. How do you make a tragic incident that isn't just a stupid plot device that just makes the character move along and continue the story?

Make it relatable to the audience, or, make it relatable to the overall plot. Or you could do both if you feel brave. I mean, anything that could be his motivation is good I guess. Sold off to a slave trader because his family is too poor, heart broken and leave home then got kidnapped, living in poverty, etc etc. To make it solid as a trauma, don't bring that event too much. Make it something that your character wants to hide as much as possible, and he did hide it. But as omniscient writer, that secret is leaked in your writing. Like in inner monologue, dreams, certain reaction towards something, flashback, and such. Even with first person point of view, you are essentially writing his mind, so it's almost the same as third pov.

2. Main character's someone who can do many things, a jack-of-all-trades... But I don't want that. Rather, I want him to be a sort of guy who's very good at logic and fighting, but also weak in other departments, but with him being good at logic and fighting, I can't seem to make a weakness other than overpowering him with brute strength.

Then moral it is. Rather than make him blindly use logic and rationality, I would make an event where he choose logically correct decision but ended up in a wrong direction. Or the good old 'love' could do the trick, I guess.

3. Cliffhangers... How???

I'm sorry, i can't help you with this one. I'm natural if it cames to cliffhanger, but i can't put it into words. My mind blanks when i tried to put it like an ikea instruction.

 

[CharlesEBrown]

Cliffhangers are tricky - I think I am starting to get the hang of them but sometimes still keep going.

The trick is to break the action up right at the "interesting" bit - right where it looks the most dangerous or heart-wrenching or to be the biggest twist, just STOP right there. Take a breather, then in the next chapter go back in time a few seconds to set up the cliffhanger and maybe show something the reader was not allowed to see the first time (the bungee cord the hero had in his backpack and managed to hook up at the last second, the hero diving out of the car with no brakes before it hits the wall, the assistant with the jetpack who happens to be there to catch the hero who had his parachute rigged to not open) or you just take things in a different direction (the parents breaking in on the young lovers are cool with it and expected it; the cops are there to sell tickets to a charity event, not arrest the MC; the "big secret" one character threatened the MC with is something that was actually resolved three chapters back but the threatening character was unaware).

But the key is to just STOP right when things look the bleakest. pause, and then move on to the next chapter (or, if you are particularly cruel and have an ensemble cast who are not together, move over to the other character(s) for a chapter before showing the resolution; in one story I'm working on, characters on one world discover they are being tailed after meeting a major NPC; the next chapter goes to the characters in another world who are dealing with soap opera nonsense until monsters attack... as the attack begins, the action goes back to the group being tailed; at another point, a chapter ends with a new character arriving and announcing that she is related to one of the MCs; the next chapter goes back a full day to bring all the characters together to witness that announcement 2/3 of the way through the chapter and resolve it from there).