Well, I was finally hitting a healthy and consistent 3,000 words per day.
THEN. Disaster struck…. I say disaster. Basically, I went down (under) with Aussie Flu…. Goodness me… Didn’t sleep for 4 days… Coughing every 4 minutes… Which is good research for insomnia… Not so good for getting a book finished.
All in all, about 10 days I will never get back… To all those who have had it. I feel your pain…
Although, Alfie loves it when the family get ill. He just bed-hops like a young, free singleton in Ibiza…
Joseph Bridgeman Book 2 Update
Finally getting back into it. And, the end is in sight. For the book, not me – thankfully (although at one point, it felt a bit touch and go). Joseph Bridgeman Book 2 – Draft 1 will be done by the end of March.
135,000 words… IN THE BAG!
YES!!!!!
Incredible to think the germ of an idea – one I had over a year ago has become a living thing! I’m very excited to finally share the story with you this year. Now, the real magic happens… My rough, rambling tome needs some tough love.
Feedback = improvement. Believe it or not, I’m actually looking forward to this bit. TBH, anything beats the Flu : ) Book 2 needs Trimming, editing and improving. A long process but it’s amazing when you compare the drafts. And, it’s always easier to edit something than stare at a blank page.
Anatomy of a scene
Lots of you ask about my process. I thought this month I would share a brief bit of background on how I construct a scene. Before I even start, I ensure that the scene in my head (I usually have a rough idea) moves the story forward. If it doesn’t, it’s just there because I fancy writing it… (Not good). Presuming it DOES move things along…
A scene has 3 key elements
A goal, conflict and a hook. What does Joe want? What will stand in his way and how can I tempt you to keep reading… In this scene, Joe and Vinny are on a motorbike, chasing a car across London in 1963. In order to keep the pace during the writing process, it is super important to know the Geography. So, I mapped the scene out, turn by turn. That helps build confidence so I can just focus on the action and tell a good, action-packed story… Then, I throw my characters in, make sure I know the answer to the 3 key elements and boom… It happens!
After that comes the seasoning; Dilemma, conflicting emotions, snappy dialogue and a dollop of sarcasm… That’s Joe to me… I’m really pleased with how the first draft came together in this sequence and can’t wait to share it with you!
If you would like me to talk more about the writing process, drop me an email, let me know what areas interest you.
Films
Dunkirk: Mega. Spitfires, sinking ships that looked real and a Director who really gets you in there. Deep feelings. Solitude. Massive respect to the soldiers for their sacrifice and also the civilians who risked everything to bring them home. Amazing what we can achieve when we pull together.
Darkest Hour: Kind of the unofficial companion piece to Dunkirk. I watched these two back-to-back, which was a fascinating experience. (One film is from the point of view of the people on the beaches.. the other from the man who inspired a nation to defend them… Highly recommended. Gary Oldman IS Winston Churchill. An incredible performance.
Streaming
Rick and Morty: As always, I’m late to the party. But, at least I can now binge the hell out of it. Hard to describe…. Back to the Future meets Family Guy? With a sprinkle of South Park? No… hang on… Dr Who, meets Futurama, with alcoholism… Oh, whatever. It’s my new addiction.
Until next time,
Be happy,
Nick
