Week One- Beginnings
Updated: Feb 16, 2022
On New Software, Old Characters and Older Street Lamps
Every new venture starts with teething issues. Be it a new job, a new house, a new relationship, or even a new project, there is always a stumbling block you didn't see coming. For some people, these teething issues can serve as a sign of future hardship, for others they are a promise of an easier tomorrow. When I used to take part in theatre productions there was a saying that I have tried to take into every other part of my life;
'Bad dress rehearsal, Brilliant opening night.'
The point being, in a bad dress rehearsal you pick up on all of the problems that would otherwise ruin a perfectly good show. I'm hoping that this stuttering start offers me the tools I need to keep things running smoothly from here on out.
My first obstacle came in the way of a software update.
Well, I say update, in reality, I decided to try a new writing software to better edit and organise the work I will be doing over the next few months. This software, 'Scrivener', offers a whole host of interesting tools, view modes, formatting options, and organisational aspects that will prove invaluable. However, the vast differences between it and other word processors meant I spent more time than I would like simply working my way through the extensive tutorial. Most of this was my own fault, (I have a tendency to hyper-focus on irrelevant extras,) but either way, it resulted in delays. Now that I have a hang of things Scrivener is already paying its dues. I look forward to continuing to make use of the benefits it offers.
My second stumble was found in a naive assumption.
As a writer, it is easy to forget just how difficult it can be to slip into a character's voice. Ash&Clockwork is written in a very immediate POV, working with the first-person present tense. This meant that I first had to rediscover my protagonist's voice, no mean feat when my opening is through the eyes of a far younger version of the character. Working out the details of language, slang, tone, and even eloquence, meant I had to rewrite my edits more than a few times before hitting the right note. I have to give thanks to my Housemate here, who offered some kind words and several suggestions, her help was invaluable. This step was not a waste, however, with the time spent struggling serving as the ideal foundation for my more human version of the character. I believe the work here will only make the editing process that much easier in the future.
So the edits begin...
Once I had my head in the right place the editing process got properly underway This Prologue serves as a method of setting, hooking the reader into my world early. It focuses on the clever manipulation of broken streetlamps by a young Ash, making use of rumour and drunken idiocy to create the perfect opportunity to pick a pocket. These streetlamps play a big role in the backdrop of the novel. They serve as an easy method of showing class differences and allow the manipulation of light for comedy, tension building, and in some cases, horror. Dublin has a plethora of old gas lamps that have been converted to the modern era. Their ironwork offers some of the most stunning pieces I've ever come across and they stand tall across the city, a mesh of various styles, marking the importance of different areas. In my Dublin, these stunning metal pieces serve as an area's signature, you can even see an example in the image above. Having spent a while writing and rewriting this section I am seeing them in my dreams. I only hope I can do them justice through the words on the page.
The delays have forced me to reassess my schedule, pushing back the time needed on each section slightly. The timeline is unclear at this point, but these updates will continue. Please join me as I progress onward, finishing up the Prologue and offering a character profile, available to my Patreons, available next Wednesday. Until then...