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pmmg
Myth Weaver
I have layered plot motivations and it's been a nightmare to iron out. I think I've almost got it, but geez.
I've got boots-on the ground good guy motivations and what they know, same with the bad guys.
But then I've got this high level chess match type plot where there is a good guy and a bad guy who are using pretty much everybody in the book to try to check mate each other. The why and how of that, how to show the reader exactly enough and foreshadow appropriately but not too much, so the ending is still wild.... I probably should have had it all up on the wall with red thread running everywhere by now, but I keep trying to compartmentalize each characters motivation in outline format. It feels like trying to do calculus with crayons when I couldn't do algebra with a calculator.
This sounds to me like something you write out ugly and fix in the rewrite when you can see how all the pieces all fit together. Not really knowing that makes guessing at the consequences of things we write now, hoping they fit in right later. Since you seem like the type who would want an outline, maybe outline it all the way to the end, then come back an adjust. You may find, along the way, stuff sifts out that gives opportunities to make it even stronger and cooler.