forum Fricking Filler

Started June 14, 2018 by @Lavy-the-Nerdy-Sci-Fi-Birdy

tune

I'm currently working a Sci-Fi novel where my character is part of a recon voyage in space. The ship gets attacked and while people are making a run for it, her escape pod crashes on a planet. After being found by natives, she manages to contact her superiors with equipment she had in the escape pod. They tell her to lay low, maybe befriend some locals, and that a retrieval team will be there in 3 months at the least.
I have some content planned for her time on the planet, but I'm afraid that it's going to come across as filler because readers will be anticipating the retrieval team's arrival too much, and that there isn't much conflict at this point.

Okay, what if they don't give her a retrieval date? What if they're just like, "yeah will come get you whenever but we don't really have the time right now so sit tight."? That might help.

Yeah, that would be in character for the company!

It'll take a while anyways because the planet's pretty far from their HQ.

She could also like really enjoy her time on the planet or be thrust into a dangerous situation in which she's focused 24/7 on staying alive and doesn't have the luxury of thinking about when she's getting picked up.

Yeah. Now that I think about it, I'm probably just over worrying.

It's a legitimate worry tho

Yeah. Flat characters and plot holes too. Shudders