From the Sidelines

Fools rush in

Hey! Have you ever had someone’s existence derail everything?

Not so much the “ruined weekend plans” kind of way, but in storytelling — when a side character seems to think they’re the main event.

While rewriting and editing Significatorius, I’ve needed to handle exactly that. Certain characters that outgrew their intended role or narrative purpose.

During the first draft, that’s not a huge problem. The goal is more to just finish the story than have it be completely coherent.

However, upon subsequent reads, it can be shocking how much weight is held by “unimportant” characters.

Frayed History

Without spoiling, I believe more than a few of my rewrites were a result of my being a little too excited to connect Significatorius to the existing world I built in Besnowed.

In the earliest drafts, this took shape in monumental lore dumps that served no purpose other than for me to fully imagine the history of my imagined setting.

Those were the first and easiest to cut — as is often the case.

You would likely be surprised by the random details I write only to delete them thinking they’re not interesting. I like to believe that adds to the overall background. The way an underlying bass line helps frame the melody without outshining it.

Things get more complicated when actual plot points and characters get caught in the mix.

I am happy to say I’ve found what I think is a nice balance and a part of that process was having the outlet to expand some of the unique perspectives eating away at my imagination with a few pieces of flash fiction right here on Nightly Noise.

Now that I’m more in the groove and on pace to finally finish a readable second rough draft, I’ll jump right into that after sending this newsletter.

And rather than sharing more ex nihilo creation, I wanted to bring up something from Lux Aeterna, that book I released a few months back.

One of the letters the Cosmic Janitor collects.

One that was on my mind this morning for some reason.

A voice from another story and another world.

Rust or Bust

The old dings and dimes falling off the crooked counter once again. The last change in loose pockets. Stubborn dogs foaming at the mouth for the crumbs on the floor.

A pound of flesh poured into a pint and downed in less than a shotgun’s second. All this and more racing through the beer soaked lights as another round of laughter echoes into new memories. Once again.

Or maybe this time forever more.

Either or, the over under leaves us all wanting more than the bottom of the barrel. Not coming home ‘til the flames well spent. Burned at both ends and wax dripping down to the other side. One last free lunch or another late night round. Once again.

Never mind the forever yet to come.

Worn down to the bone and sanding the wood for good measure. The truth of it all only matters in the jokes and jabs left on our tab. Always there for that fourth or fifth sitting on the bar stool – dark alleyways or a drunken lullaby washing ashore.

The silence between sips. Respect for the space. More heard in what’s unsaid.

Only as the spit and shine turns to grit and grime does it really begin to make any sense. An age and an era written in rust for the wandering soul. Hitting the clutch and shifting gears for what remains.

Some may call it legacy down the road, but I know it’s more like the old tricks for getting into town. A bargain or two following that familiar thumb’s up highway.

All those around who shared an extra seat and a ride.

A way home for one last call after all is said and done.

And a toast to many more stories waiting to be told.

Once again and forever more.

Second Star

People, projects, places — I was quite sick and Buildspace was dying.

Lux Aeterna was doomed from the first.

Not that the esoteric format of the book itself helped much.

So, with the passage above whispering similar side character energy, I figured it was worth sharing.

Or at least found it to be a good enough excuse.

There’s a personal story hidden between the lines as well.

But some stories aren’t quite ready to be deciphered.

In any case, if you enjoyed that excerpt, the full book carries the same style throughout its pages.

Lux Aeterna — Corporate satire, lost dreams, dead desires, last hopes

As I jump back into editing and revising, I think I’ll need to keep in mind how some characters just take longer to tell their stories.

Until next time.

—JMB