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Editing Update – late october.

I had forgotten to publish this it seems. This is from late October.

The 1950 book finally has a working title: Goodnight, Irene.

Research over the past week has included:

  • Locating the FBI offices in NYC in 1949-1950
  • Pictures of Foley Square and the walk from there towards the old Radio Row
  • Two books on the FBI to be written up
  • Multiple downloads from the FBI website of forms and agent dossiers
  • Start of research on Chinatown
  • Start of research on Newark

Issues stemming from research:

Originally, I had thought of the protagonist as living in Newark. This would make the FBI’s presence more feasible as well, as it would mean the crime crossed state lines (NY-NJ).

However, the problem is that… well, what do I know from Newark? Is it really worth it for the story to force this, and the six additional months of research it would require for me to understand the area enough to write about it intelligently? Most importantly, would it even make sense for the story?

I feel like the venues need to be tighter. This is NOT a sprawling story like the others. The locations are small and well-defined. Hopping between Newark, Manhattan and New Jersey doesn’t quite make sense.

Perhaps I could consolidate to northern NJ (Newark? Add Montclair?) and lower Manhattan? May make sense to add NJ what with Free Acres in the other book and all.

Edited to add: found out there was an FBI branch office in Newark so it would not have made sense for agents to come from NYC anyway. Scene stays set in Manhattan. Part of me is saddened by this. I like them being ordinary people–and NY has such an aura of fantasy around it. I prefer in many ways thinking of them as outside that orbit. Close, but not touching. It’s a strange dynamic that people outside–people that come to NY from outside the suburban area–don’t understand. You feel as though you are a part of it, you feel the pull of it’s gravity, but you are not part of New York. Not really, no matter how much you think you are. Being there is different. And I’m not quite sure that’s what I want to reveal–being in NY.

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Foyle’s War

Been watching Foyle’s War, cause, you know, umm… research?

What I find interesting about it is that it truly highlights the contemporary subtext of detective-as-priest; moreover, I find it interesting that the driver character’s actual father is an actual vicar, and her surrogate father is a surrogate priest.

At one point there is even a moment where he talks to a woman who believes her brother is wrongly accused and there are many discussions of him possibly helping her cope with it should her brother be guilty.

He speaks of doing what is right; his morality is unimpeachable; people are driven to confess to him.

No one, not even doctors, face chaos in modern life (or is it just pop culture?) as do detectives.

But often this is coupled with isolation. More than a priest, a detective may be closer to a shaman: appeasing the capricious spirit of justice, descending into the depths, completely alone.

Also, chain lightning. Ok, maybe tasers? So they’re enhance maybe, dual wield something something.

I also admit I like all the Spitfires. I’d kvell for some Lysander footage. I would.

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Structure and subplot

Listed all the subplots within the 1950 manuscript.

Interesting — they are all about the collapse and loss of family. Inspired me for a couple more concrete details to add to the book in general.

However, it does not expose gaps as well as I had hoped.

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Editing and Research

Recent research has included:

  • The Street with No Name (for the 1950 story);
  • Guns of August/Tuchman (for the adventure story);
  • The Crimean War/Figes (for the adventure story);
  • Wish Me Luck (BBC series) (for the 1939 story);
  • Carve Her Name With Pride (film about Violette Szabo) (for the 1939 story).

I really could use some working titles here!

Current editing:

Still trying to understand the structure process. Getting lost in midsection (story-world). Next step: peel out individual subplots and character arcs to help see where they have holes.

Eventually, I really hope to get a story structure process together. It feels so mysterious.

Incoming:

Need more work and thought around either fantasy or sf story lines. Both are currently too thin and the character voices are not strong enough to talk me through.

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Editing update

So I am now working on Chapter 5 of editing for the NaNoWriMo 2010 novel, which has the horrific working title of “1950”.

I’ve organized all the scenes through chapter 9.

I’m not quite sure if I have a good sense of what I am doing in this draft yet. It seems very trial and error in a lot of ways. I’d like to be more aware of what I’m doing so, you know, I can do it again. For the other two drafts.