Adrian Faulkner's Blog, page 45
July 10, 2020
Slow Burn – The Climb #504
I appear to be a third of the way through this draft.
I’m really happy with the way its going, although typically I don’t get to the “I hate this, why did I think I can write?” stage until around the 66% mark.
A couple of things have emerged as I write.
This story has alter-egos. By way of an example, I have my Batman and I have my Bruce Wayne. As you know, whilst they are the same person, there is something a bit distinct about each of them. In this novel, I have ‘Batm...
July 9, 2020
Good Writing – The Climb #503
It’s so easy to have your nose so close to the proverbial grindstone that it’s difficult to see progress.
For example, people tell me I’m a good writer. I think I’m publishable, but beyond that I’m completely blind. There are plenty of shitty writers who are publishable.
There are a few exceptions. There’s a scene in Black As Knight where the POV and even the tense switches mid-sentence that I’m very proud of. It’s not only a technically clever bit of writing (even if ...
July 8, 2020
The Frankenstein Chapter – The Climb #502
Today I went over a big action chapter. I love writing action and I think it’s one of my strengths as a writer. Having experience with combat probably helps more than I know, but a lot of it stems from being told as a child that it was impossible to write car chases.
I can write car chases.
In terms of actual work, this chapter is pretty difficult. Whereas most of this draft borrows from one previous draft or another and most of the work is essentially continuity… this...
July 7, 2020
Good Progress – The Climb #501
Progress continues to go well on this draft.
I’m not going to lie there’s still a feeling that I’m somehow rushing it, that I’m not going deep enough on the changes.
But then I tell myself I have a plan of what needs to be done and I need to stick to that.
Definitely putting that work up front has helped a lot. I’m not second guessing myself as I can just refer to the discussion document and not get lost in my own thoughts.
It’s always bothered me that my redrafting work i...
July 6, 2020
Widening Skills – The Climb #500
One of the things I’ve been very keen to do during Covid is expand my writing skills.
It’s not just been limited to novels, although I did do a lot of work on theme in April that feels I’m really benefiting from during these recent outlines. I’ve also looked at Script format and screenplays.
Timelines worked out a little too tight to be able to write a completed screenplay for an opportunity – and I do feel that doing something for the first time, it probably doesn’t need t...
July 5, 2020
The First Two Chapters – The Climb #499
So after my procrastination yesterday, I actually sat down to do some writing/ editing.
I always find the start of projects a little slow. I think first chapters are so important for setting tone, and I don’t know if it’s just fear manifesting itself or if it’s some skill I’ve not been able to define beyond a gut feeling, but I spend a lot of time worrying about the tone in that first chapter.
This draft does seem to be setting protagonist and antagonist against each other ...
July 4, 2020
Procrastination – The Climb #498
I’d wanted to get started on the novel write today, but I ended up procrastinating.
I rang family and talked to them for ages, then I did some work creating future thumbnails for The Climb, and then I played a round of Fortnite so I keep on top of the season levelling.
But a large part of the problem is that I played a load of Pokemon Go yesterday and tilting my head forward over my phone for so long has hurt my back. As a result, it’s uncomfortable to sit at the computer...
July 3, 2020
Couch Potato – The Climb #497
I didn’t start on the draft today.
I’d like to tell you that I had a big elaborate reason why but in truth, it’s just procrastination. Instead, I just finished up watching the third series of Dark.
I’ve been watching a lot of TV during lockdown. I only tend to realise how much when I come to speak to friends and they’re just finishing off Tiger King, when that documentary feels like a million years ago.
On Amazon Prime I’ve been watching a few series. I enjoyed the first ...
July 2, 2020
I Have An Outline – The Climb #496
So I have an outline.
There’s a part of me that feels I must have somehow cheated, that I’ve cut some corner and not put the work in. I worry that Ill start writing and find how little I prepared and then have a hellish writing experience.
But, I’ve documented what I done, from creating a discussion document to creating a brand new document comprised of parts from different drafts. I’ve added in extra index cards to note character progression, and today I added my notes...
July 1, 2020
The Easiest Outline – The Climb #495
Outlining is going very well. In fact, it’s going REALLY well.
I don’t want to jinx it but I’d originally thought that this outline might take me 2 weeks. Even that was hopeful given that most outlines take me a month.
But either the things I’ve gone over in the discussion document have removed much of the ambiguity on what to do, or all the practise I’ve had of late has paid off.
Today was about character arcs. One of the things that the discussion document highlighte...
