Welcome to Caffe Nero in Station Square, Cambridge.
What a beautiful sunny day! The weather will rise to 76°f/24c this afternoon. The Met Office will put out warnings. This, in England, is what we call a heatwave. Or, possibly, as we look back on today in a couple of months’ time, Summer.
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Let me tell you what I am doing with ‘The Half-Life Girl’ project. The book is written. It could be published today. The cake is baked, but I want to add a few decorative flourishes.
- I am working my way through, chapter by chapter, to check that each chapter starts and ends with a hook. Nothing brings more joy to an author’s heart than a review stating that: ‘I couldn’t put the book down! I stayed up until three in the morning!’ That’s not by accident. That’s by the author’s design.
- I am working my way through, chapter by chapter, to check that each chapter appeals to the five senses: sight, sound, touch, smell and taste. It’s not always possible, particularly with shorter chapters. Working ‘taste’ into every chapter is challenging, however, it does ensure the characters eat from time to time.
- The ‘five senses’ strategy legitimately paves the way to write descriptive passages that heighten enjoyment. At the same time, the strategy helps the word count. I cut out 4000 words on the advice of readers. The novel should be at least 75,000 words. It has crept up to 74,000.
- SPG. Spelling, Punctuation and Grammar. Re-reading helps me pick up mistakes. Even the completed book will have mistakes, but my aim must be to eliminate all.
I mentioned last week that I had not finished planning Book Three, ‘Now Is The Time Of Monsters’. Up until then, I had thought this was a problem, but now I’ve reframed it.
I am leaving some plotlines unresolved for the moment. I will also leave planning which way characters jump as the final crisis in Book Three approaches. In Book Two, I will deliberately leave open their options.
I will enjoy writing Book Three much more if I still have choices to make. If I already knew everything, writing it could become an uninspiring ‘going through the motions’ plod. Not good for me, the writer. Not good for you, the reader.