An Interlude
“Breakdown.”
That’s the title of my new story. After I finished writing Nereids (August 1), I set a deadline for myself: I wanted to start writing something new by September 1. But what would I write? Sorry, it’s not B4. I have a couple of reasons I’m not ready to start that yet:
- I’ve been writing Summer Camp almost non-stop since August 2002. With B1-B3 and then Nereids, I’ve been in the SC Universe for a long, long time. I’m not tired of it, but…
- Once I start B4, I won’t write another story until it’s done. That’s my single-minded, ruthless discipline, which leads to the third reason…
- I have several other stories swirling in my head. (Actually, I have at least a dozen stories up there, but some of them are more ambitious than others. Some are also more fleshed-out than others.)
Anyway, I was in the mood to start a new story. I originally thought it was going to be a more epic story, which is why I hadn’t written it yet. It has a pretty extensive cast of characters, and could easily turn into a universe of its own.
But then I had an epiphany: write the story as several smaller stories. The vignettes would easily lend themselves to serializing, and I already had the general timeline in my head.
So, when September 1 rolled around, I started writing. I named my characters, gave them backgrounds, and started hammering away at the plot. Along the way, the plot changed from what I first imagined. The overall arc didn’t change, but the details did.
It’s about a man named Henry Adair, and it takes place in the current day, more or less. Henry is a 40-something businessman and inventor. In most respects, his life is pretty good. In others, it sucks. Then his daughter calls and needs his help. You’ll have to read the story to find out what happens next, but I think you’ll enjoy it.
It’s a genuine short story, too. My usual story is either very, very, very long (like Summer Camp) or very, very short (like “Ikebana,” which is my personal favorite, by the way). So at 20,000 words, the new story is a bit of a departure.
I wanted to do enough character development to set the stage, but not so much that it bogs down the, ahem, action. The plot is less day-by-day than my usual fare, too. It’s more in the macro-style that I used in Nereids. I’m getting better at it, but my habit is still to do the day-by-day stuff.
(Another subliminal reason I’m working on the third-person limited, macro-style story is that it’s what most mainstream writers use. First person stories are immersive, but they’re also limited in their appeal. But I digress…)
I edited the first two parts of “Breakdown” today. I edited the third part, but I also added another scene. Since it’s such a short story, I don’t think we’ll take too long in the reality/editing/proofing process, but remember, my team is full of unpaid volunteers (it wouldn’t hurt to send feedback to them, telling them how much you appreciate what they do).
I’ll let you know when “Breakdown” is ready for publication. I’ll post the parts one at a time, probably on Mondays. I may post on Saturdays, to give you something to read over the weekend. We’ll see what I decide.
Anyway, that’s what I’ve been up to lately. So you may not have B4 to read, but at least something Scipio this way comes. 
- Nick
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8 Responses to “An Interlude”
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Exciting! Good luck Nick. Thanks for sharing. Once again thanks for the peek into your writing process.
Like a parent listening to a silent child in the house; I get suspicious. “What’s that wordsmith up to I can’t hear him? Oh great here he is siting in the corner, MacBook on his lap editing the first two parts of *Breakdown*”;-)
gonz,
feeling like an excited kid, “Mr Scipio’s got a new story coming.”
Please add my kudos to the stack. I agree that editors and proof-readers do not always share the limelight they should, and your crew of apparently ever-ready volunteers are top notch. Without doubt, more accoldaes and awards are in the future for you and your team.
Thank you again for your writing efforts.
Glad you’re finding your creative outlet. I can certainly empathize with the love / indifference that a long story can engender. Glad you’ve found a healthy coping strategy, and look forward to reading the new story!
I’m looking forward for Your new story, and for SC B4, I think You do the right thing and then You release B4 it will be like meet old frinds again, if You know what I ment.
Having read it, it’s looking good so far.
How many chapters are you anticipating for this part of the story?
@Smurf
“Breakdown” has three parts.
The whole story is much longer, but I’ll write it when I have time. Right now (in my head), I have at least 4 more Hank Adair stories, with several more half-formed.
So, more to come.
(Of course, I have more Jazz Club stories in my head too, along with another Mike Logan story or two. You see how many of them I’ve actually written. But SC has consumed the lion’s share of my time since 2002…)
- Nick
This is really great news Nick. I’m glad to hear that you are writing something not SC related for a change(lately I’m not in the mood for SC, I don’t know why). About all the other stories that are you planning to write, I was under the impression that after trhe end df SC, there won’t be more Nick Scipio and that you would try to go to thee mainstream scene. Am I wrong? You change your mind?
Anyway, thank you for keep us informed.
Greetings lastjuan