Consider me signed up for this thread
I can't wait to see how it all turns out and what you get from the experience, jaxx.
If you haven't, then I suggest reading possibly the best guide on writing popular fiction ever produced --
Techniques of the Selling Writer by Dwight V Swain and also this post by
Jim Butcher (detailing the very same system, but much quicker and easier to digest) Both of these will help you (as they did me) in understanding the mechanics of story and they're very useful for when you're editing.