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August 10, 2005
Day 3: Story Begins to Take Shape
Today I banged out another 2200 words, for a new total of 4500 words in only two days. This is bloody amazing! I have no idea if I can keep this going, but while it is I'm very happy indeed. It's also coming along pretty well, story-wise, shaping up as a spy story tucked inside the story of ECLIPSE. Or, rather, the first act of UMBRA coincides with the last act of ECLIPSE, and concerns a different character from the hapless James Dunne of ECLIPSE. Still debating whether Dunne should make a cameo appearance in this story. If I do, it has to serve the new story, rather than just be a gimmick for people who've read the other book. One problem is that in the course of setting out what's going on for the new guy, I've had to reveal some spoiler information about what's going on in the earlier book. Not sure what to do about that. We'll see how it goes.
I'm also sticking with a method I used successfully in HYDROGEN STEEL, which was that during each day's scribble session, something interesting (to me, that is) has to happen to the characters. A meeting with someone, a setback, a complication, a problem of some kind, some guy busting down the door and firing guns everywhere (ah, Raymond Chandler, how I love that device!), or whatever. HS turned out to be a very lively book, and I think it's entirely because of this approach. There's always something going on.
Posted by adrian at August 10, 2005 10:23 PM
Comments
Dave--guys bursting into my actual home while I'm writing would...well, let's just say that our dog would eat them. I'm pretty sure she would, anyway. She's a good dog.
Charlie--indeed, Sir Charles Stuart, head of "External Affairs". If his little plan works out, he's up for a peerage, too.
Cheyenne--that's the plan! It's a great feeling, one I've not felt in more than a year. Funny how things work out, eh?
Posted by: Adrian ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://www.kabedford.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at August 11, 2005 07:37 PM
Just so long as guys bursting in with guns blazing happens in your wp and not in real life...
Posted by: dshan at August 11, 2005 08:57 AM
Hey, good stuff! Keep up the good work Adrian--you're in the groove, so exploit it to the max!
Posted by: Cheyenne at August 11, 2005 07:30 AM
That's it, I'm ordering Eclipse today. I can't risk reading an inadvertent spoiler here. *grin* Like there was any possibility I was going to wait to order it!
And -- SIR Charlie? Wowzers! *preens* I'm going to be insufferable once this one hits the bookstores!
Posted by: Charlie at August 11, 2005 12:27 AM
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