Fleshing it out

I have recently written the first two parts of the new Don Findy story. I've spent a whole day on each chapter making sure I am happy with the direction it his headed, the sentence structure, words etc etc. So, as Mark Billingham suggested, I have been rewriting as I go along. I have found this has helped me feel reassured when entering the next section.

Also, I have recently drawn a map of Don Findy's office, which has helped me with writing the actions taking place within it, and have written a short profile of his background - as discussed with Ashley Stokes in previous lessons (and as mentioned in the Nigel Watts book Writing A Novel).

I'm am finding the hardboiled style easy to work around because I have always admired the sparse prose of writers like Samuel Beckett, James M. Cain, James Ellroy, Dashiell Hammett and so on. Not using unnecessary words is also something that Elspeth helped to reinforce in lessons. Reading also helps with this, and seeing how Raymond Chandler injects comedy into his punchy lines is a benefit.

I've always liked writing comedy too, so seeing lines like '... when everybody was as comfortable as you can get in hard chairs,' (from The Long Good-bye) really inspire. Chandler was very good at advancing plot or description through humour.

My next task is to work closer on the rough plot I have now planned out, and to work on some more character biographies so I can feel as comfortable with the other characters as I do Don Findy.