As I mentioned, I finally conquered Chapter 5 and I'm now working on Chapter 6. I've chatted with a number of friends on part of the content for this novel because it goes beyond my own knowledge and experience areas. It's all well and good to write what one knows, but I don't stick to that to the letter. Expanding my own knowledge to make the story better is something that I want for my novels.
Now I have a long list of things to learn about to narrow down what fits with what is in my mind for a technical aspect of Sparks. I don't need to have it all figure out for this particular chapter, but it will need to be figured out soon enough.
Chapter 6 is one that I was never in love with. I knew it had problems, but I didn't know what I needed to do in order to make it a chapter that is more important to the rest of the novel. Parts of it are better done subtly and left to the reader and other parts need to be very descriptive because I'm creating something that doesn't exist in our current world and will need to be developed enough for the reader to see in their mind's eye.
This is what I love about writing and what I sometimes also get immensely frustrated with. The absolute madness that is storytelling.
I haven't gotten too far on my goals between the fever and the dizziness. I've spent a lot of time sleeping, which I have thoroughly needed. I felt so awful, I even got a Covid test done, which thankfully came back negative.
I have cut some things from the chapter and moved them to others or to the junk pile. It's not done, but at least I'm navigating it now.