So, the first draft has done its job, whether it is finished or not. I rely on my instinct to decide the opportune moment for moving onto the next stage, which is of course, the second draft, and everything else that goes with it. Where the first draft was an exercise in capturing ideas the … Continue reading Writing My Seventh Novel – Part Two
writing
Writing My Seventh Novel – Part One
Having decided to write my next book I thought I might use this blog to record my progress. Hopefully, I will be able to post regular updates as the project develops. To get things started I thought I would begin at the beginning, very original eh? What I mean by this is to start with … Continue reading Writing My Seventh Novel – Part One
Being Creative in a Time of Negativity
My wife reminded me lately that I once said that if I could have a couple of months of work then I could write another book! Prophetic words. I have not exactly had a couple of months to dedicate to writing another book, I am a key worker, but I have recently had a couple … Continue reading Being Creative in a Time of Negativity
No more Heroes and no more Villains
Following on from my previous post, Trying something Different, it seems logical to look at other aspects of writing a different kind of novel. The technicalities of subverting expectations within a story do not rest entirely on moving the constituent parts around. The linear path from beginning to middle to end is very well signposted … Continue reading No more Heroes and no more Villains
Trying something Different
I am a writer. A scribbler. A scrivener. A wanna-be author. No matter what else I think inventing stories is just something that my brain does. I do not even need to be conscious of the fact. My brain is intent on coming up with another tale, whether I like it or not. The only … Continue reading Trying something Different
Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
I very much enjoyed the 1987 movie starring Steve Martin and John Candy, but that is not what I am writing about. In my book, Eugenica, the protagonists use planes, trains, and automobiles to escape their pursuers. Well, actually they use the singular of each of those modes of transport. One plane, a De Havilland … Continue reading Planes, Trains, and Automobiles
The Science of Time Travel and the Implications of Killing People before they were Born
I wanted to write a story in which people mixed with dinosaurs. Seeing as Sir Arthur Conan Doyle had the idea of a lost world and Michael Chrichton had the idea of using recovered dinosaur DNA first, it really left me no alternative but to send my characters back in time. Yes, I was going … Continue reading The Science of Time Travel and the Implications of Killing People before they were Born
Mixing Fact with Historical Fiction 3 – My version of the Battle of Hastings
At school my history teacher glossed over the Battle of Hastings. His lesson suggested that the Normans were a superior people who conquered the barbaric Saxons and brought civilisation back to England. I have always inferred that what he meant was that the Romans had civilised Britain originally but that the Saxons had created a … Continue reading Mixing Fact with Historical Fiction 3 – My version of the Battle of Hastings
Not a New Year’s Resolution
The holidays are over, and it is the start of a new year. I have never seen the point of making resolutions simply because the calendar has changed to a new page. I believe that resolutions should be made as and when necessary. I have not made a New Year’s Resolution, but I have determined … Continue reading Not a New Year’s Resolution
Mixing Fact with Historical Fiction – My version of the Battle of Fulford Gate
The fact is that most historical records are not complete. The veracity of what does remain can often be questioned. Although I did a lot of research for The War wolf it was with relatively few different sources. 1066 belongs to the period that used to be called the Dark Ages, a reference to the … Continue reading Mixing Fact with Historical Fiction – My version of the Battle of Fulford Gate
Peter C Whitaker 