And so it begins
I am sat on my sofa with Renegades v1.2 open on my laptop.
The writing
I am back in Oslo, back on my sofa, and back into writing.
This evening I patched a few minor plot holes and circled some bright threads to prevent loose ends. This is one of my favourite activities and is not at all procrastination...
While I have a smattering of dialogue and a rough epilogue finished, most of the chapters are currently notes and bullet points. Usually, I find it easier to start from the beginning and write chronologically, but:
(1) A pre-written epilogue helps me keep the story tight. I know where I have to go at all times. It's touch and go whether the current epilogue will survive by the time I finish Chapter 12, though!
(2) Prologues are a little daunting, so I jump in with Chapter 1 to build momentum.
Thankfully, I am really excited by the prologue, so it's another motivation to keep the writing going strong. The biggest motivation is the few readers who have reached out to me about the wait for Renegades. I hear you, and I won't let you down.
The first draft process
Music
Sometimes it is jazz. Sometimes it is instrumental or background music. Most of the time, it is an exercise playlist. I'd like to pretend this is solely because I am writing an action thriller, but mostly it's a trained response. I listen to similar playlists when I am drafting patents! It's all about keeping my brain sharp but not over-thinking every word on the page.
Let it flow
My 9-5 is writing scientific, technical and legal documents. Every word is important and any word can make or break a court case. This is a useful skillset, but not when writing an initial draft. The most important thing to do now is to get words on the page and not let real-time editing break the flow.
Momentum and motivation
There is no greater feeling than sinking into a book. When I read a book, I love when it dominates my thoughts even after I have put it down. When I write, this feeling increases exponentially. I dream of my characters. My commute, my cycle rides, my coffee breaks, I am thinking "what would happen if X" or "how would Y happen" or thinking of dialogue interactions. Most of these never make it to the page, but some do, and those moments make the story sing.
It can seem a little obsessive, but the momentum keeps me motivated, and the motivation maintains the momentum. When my momentum and motivation takes a hit, it's from being unwell or losing confidence. In these moments, I consider turning to my partner or AI to have a cheerleader tell me my writing is fine and I should keep going. But then I remember it doesn't matter whether it's fine. All that matters is getting words on a page.
Is there anything you would like to know?
I don't want to incorporate too many spoilers, especially as the manuscript is a living thing. However, if there is something you would like to know generally, or about the process itself, please let me know!
Renegades words count (Fri 31 Jul): 9594
P.S. Thank you for reaching out. I cannot emphasise enough how grateful I am!
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