Day 1 NaNo - 2616 words

This year is very different to last.   Much more of a patchwork operation.   Last year I had two or three major conversations which had to be connected - and hugely expanded - to form some sort of novel-length story.   This year, beginning with an outline, I have a rag bag of characters - thirty of them, gathered in from myriad places - about whom random, and sometimes contradictory short pieces have been written.   I've spent quite a lot of time trying to plan how these characters might relate to each other but it is clear that I can't start with chapter one and work forwards in a straight line, but will have to keep zig-zagging about to add clues and red herrings to make sure that I create a worthwhile whodunnit.   I have  the first 4/5 days mapped out and have sort of identified one baddy, have one linking goody and so far, one body ...