{"id":566,"date":"2020-06-23T07:32:59","date_gmt":"2020-06-23T12:32:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/samarandaybreak.wordpress.com\/?p=566"},"modified":"2020-06-23T07:32:59","modified_gmt":"2020-06-23T12:32:59","slug":"daybreak-redux-project-announcement","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/samaran-daybreak.com\/index.php\/2020\/06\/23\/daybreak-redux-project-announcement\/","title":{"rendered":"Daybreak Redux Project Announcement"},"content":{"rendered":"

In hindsight, I had made one big mistake during these past two years when Daybreak<\/em> was on hiatus: I had never gone back and read the original volume that started the whole story.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

I had built up this image in my head that it wasn’t what I wanted moving forward. That it was a piece of work from my past, when my tastes were different. That I was no longer interested in such an opening format.<\/p>\n

It’s not true.<\/p>\n

I’m still just as attached.<\/p>\n

It took me a long time to be able to read it without feeling pain. The last chapter I wrote (v4ch2) was just before a row between me and Hachi (the artist) ended all contact between us. For me at least, the episode was heartbreaking. I thought we were friends who could discuss all kinds of things. It turned out to be my delusions. I regret my mistakes in not being careful enough with words, but… (sigh) anyways…<\/p>\n

For a long time I couldn’t even open the Daybreak<\/em>\u00a0folder without feeling pain. Even as I wrote other fiction in the Hyperion setting, I would go into the folder, grab whatever I need, and then rushed to close it.<\/p>\n

But this year, I’ve finally recovered enough, put enough distance between me and what had happened. I could read what I’ve written years ago, embrace it, feel it.<\/p>\n

I realized that I still don’t want to give it up.<\/p>\n

I missed working with the fun characters I’ve built up — Kaede, Pascal, and Sylviane.<\/p>\n

I still have a host of structural issues with Daybreak<\/em>‘s story (as written when I dropped it<\/a>). It’s still poorly planned at the start. It still gives me a ton of headaches in moving forward. The genre expectations weren’t laid down properly. The shift in focus was too sudden after the 1st volume. The war came too swift and absorbed too much focus. Et cetera. Et cetera.<\/p>\n

But I should never have written it off as unsalvageable. I should have examined all the other options, not merely take a polar “[continus] vs [drop]” stance.<\/p>\n

And just the other day, five months after I officially dropped the project, I had a moment of revelation while talking to a friend.<\/p>\n

What if: instead of starting the story in Pascal’s home country of Weichsel, I started it in Sylviane’s country of Rhin-Lotharingie instead? The 1st volume would still play out in almost exactly the same manner. However, I would be able to start my focus on Rhin-Lotharingie far earlier — start introducing the country, its people, the major characters, et cetera.<\/p>\n

I would be able to build it brick by brick, instead of feeling like I had to construct a new house every volume.<\/p>\n

Meanwhile the characters of the 1st volume wouldn’t just be junior officers in Weichsel’s army, whom I struggle to drag along the story to stay relevant. Instead, they could be tied directly to the tale of how Sylviane ascends in the Empire. Giving them roles to fill also means I don’t need to introduce as many new characters in every volume, which was one of my biggest headaches.<\/p>\n

I can’t believe it took me so long to see this option.<\/p>\n

I could have, should have done this two years ago.<\/p>\n

Thus, I am official undropping Daybreak<\/em>. I will return to working on this story.<\/p>\n

This is the Daybreak Redux project : Daybreak(re)<\/p>\n

P.S. Work on Eve of Rebirth will continue until end of Volume 1, then I’ll see if it met my expectations before deciding its future. The events of Eve will also play a bigger role in Daybreak.<\/em><\/p>\n

…<\/p>\n

Since this is a rather ambitious project, I’m tapping some of my professional skills to manage goals and timelines. If you’re interested in my the details and dates involved feel free. May involve minor spoilers.<\/p>\n

Project Goals:<\/strong><\/p>\n