19 February 2009

A little detail regarding yesterday's post

Yesterday's story segment originates from the incomplete Season 32 Doctor Who story 'Psychotic Reaction'. Some looking into the notebook it was being written in displays the problems that lead to the end of the Season 32 project.

The second story of the 'Season', another rewrite of a 'Teen Doctor' story, 'Relative Power' was completed. It was started after the Reaction, which was meant to launch the Season. A note inside the cover of the notebook states 'Season 32 must begin!' and dates the beginning of the writing process as December 14, 1995.

During this time, I tended to date the beginning and ending dates of episodes. This was a way to track the timing of my writing process. Considering I wrote sequentially at this time (I hadn't learned how to write in fragments and piece a story together yet), this worked.

Episode One was completed on May 12th, 1998. Ages later. Generally an episode, about 30 written pages, should have taken me a couple months at worst. This was forever. A little note next to the completion date states 'This took too damn long!'

Episode Two was started immediately after, finishing the cliffhanger. It wouldn't be completed until June 6, 1999. 'Too slow still!' the accompanying note states.

Episode Three started on June 17, 1999. It would never be completed. 9 written pages exist for it, as well as a couple pages from Episode Four written after I started figuring out how to write out of order.

I started typing the story up this week, what exists of it anyway. It's weird editing words I originally wrote over a decade ago but I am.

I don't expect to finish the story, just preserve what exists, kind of like the incomplete Tom Baker story 'Shada'. It does explain why I had to officially 'cancel' the Season. When it takes three and a half years to write half the story, well, that's not a good pace with which to go forward.

It's okay; I've other things to focus on now.

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