The story so far - September 2012

I have been meaning to post a synopsis so far for some time. The main reason is that people at the Richmond Writers' Circle who are new, or who ,quite understandably, have not followed the convolutions of plot, often expect me to recount the 'story so far'. To do that would take all my 10 minutes allotted reading time. So I thought I'd put it here, if anyone is interested.

Actually I didn't enjoy writing it. For one thing it was fiddly and detailed. I'm not sure now if I got all covered. Also while at the same time being surprised there was so much of it (I'm about 40,000 words into the story), it was still a bit sad seeing all those words reduced to the bare bones of plot. I might have another go at doing it better in a few months time.

It was a good thing to do, mind. It helped me stand back a bit and see where it was all going. I do know the ending but the bit in the middle is a bit hazy for me.

I put it in the cloud on Google drive. Here:

Gentlemen Rankers - Story So Far - September 2012

Oh and I should point out - obviously this containes spoilers - it goes up to the end of my last RWC reading but in this blog so far I have posted only the first few scenes of Chapter 1 - I shall do one or two more soon.

Also, I am aware that my first rewrite will be one to fix up plot anomalies.  There seem to be quite a few so far. :)

Writing a synopsis

The Thursday after a Richmond Writers' Circle meeting is always a time for regrouping and thinking about the next steps. Today I started writing a synopsis of the story so far which I shall post soon. It is quite a long way forward from my fist attempt at a synopsis but I was pleased to see that I have improved / refined the story rather than completely changed it.

The story so far

Spoilers

I started writing a short while before beginning this blog. Now as I prepare for my next reading at the Richmond Writers Circle it may be a good time to review the story so far. Here it is -

Tomorrow I shall be reading my favourite bit so far, my introduction to the ladies of the Kensington Gore Croquet club. I have great fun writing them. Alas my partner Y has read this scene and found many things she doesn't like. The trouble is that I just don't know how to write it better. The thing is that perhaps I just don't have the skill. There are things about that I can learn. But the magic I can't. Well I shall press on and we shall see.

The story so far:

Ch 1 Scene 1 - Four magicians meet in a desolate place not of this world. One, Ludens, declares, to the anger of the others, that this is his century (the twentieth AD of the Christian era). He will bring reality and light he says.

Ch1 Scene 2 - The Master of Dover Castle, an eminence gris in the government of the Empire, senses that something dangerous has taken place. He dispatches his agent, Richard Rassendyll (who has cancelled his dinner in London with Mrs Eynsford-Hill) to fetch the Laird of Boleskine who he believes can tell him what is afoot.

Ch 1 Scene 3 Part 1 - Deolali Transit Camp in India. The gentleman rankers, Reuben Chatham and Ambrose Delahay rescue a young Sergeants’ Mess steward - Noone, from a barroom brawl and take him with them in a hurried retreat into the night. They recognise that he, like them, is a gentleman ranker (a man of breeding, education and culture serving in the army as a non-commissioned officer or private).

Ch 1 Scene 3 Part 2 - A cave close to Deolali Transit Camp - The gentlemen rankers and Noone are attacked by Indians and dragged down into a cave. They beat off the attacks thanks mainly to Noone’s marksmanship. Noone says he cannot remember how he acquired this skill. He cannot remember anything about his past. The American Colour Sergeant (Mortimer Angel) approaches and kills an Indian who runs at him in the darkness. Then comes a patrol led by Captain Fitzgerald, sent to bring the gentleman rankers to Kitchener. They see the statue of the Hindu Goddess Kali but Angel tells them that these Indians cannot have been Thugs since those were suppressed long ago. They are merely common murderers and thieves.