Real Issues

At over 30,000 words now with the 3rd book. I've got to a point where I'm questioning a few things, such as how real should I keep it? There are a few issues that need to be changed if I keep it 100% 'true', with real examples of political stupidity and 'conspiracy theory' "facts". I haven't even finished writing the basic story through yet, and I'm dying to do the rewrite, expanding characters, analysing their journeys through the story. Ideas keep coming, one creates another and another, then a whole bunch appears. A little more time is needed...