Darragh Ó Bradáin

One of the things I’ve loved so far in the process of writing “Lessons in Absence” is when a new character comes to me. Before I started, I had the bones of the story. I knew the beginning, middle, and end. I had imagined what the main character, Seán, would have to deal with and what he would learn. But putting pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, allowed me to broaden his horizons, introduce characters that would support the direction of the story, and basically humanise him.

Yesterday, as I was working away, I decided that Seán needed an ally but with obvious contrasts to his own character. I thought of someone I know who has a similar profile to the one I imagined for this addition. So my instinct was to name him after the guy I know. This new character serves to bring something out in Seán that none of the other established characters could. He’s not a mentor, or a wise sage, rather it’s a friendship of equals, despite their differences in experience and age.

As I was writing this new character, I realised that he would also serve a function that I had thought about when starting out, but didn’t have a realistic way to show it. So it’s a dual-purpose character, but the ending I have in mind will feel earned.

That’s something else I’m learning about as I go, the big moments must feel earned. I can’t just drop a bombshell and hope for the best. Good literary fiction should have a proper logic and real emotional payoffs.

As I approach the end of the first act of what will be a three-act story, I’m feeling very confident about what’s to come. Worries about coming up short in the final word count are non-existent because I know that there is so much more to write about. The second act has a massive event, and there will be serious consequences. I still have plenty to say before I wrap up the first act. I need to make sure that Act 2 feels earned, so this is where I do the groundwork.