My Magnificent Octopus Part IX

I know I've updated you on the book a few days ago, but a lot has happened since then.

Firstly, I think I've got round the issue of the name spelling without too much hassle. It did involve changing the direction of the plot slightly, but seeing as it's already changed several hundred times since I originally started this, then once more won't make any difference.

Secondly, I've added nearly 4,000 words to it over these two days, and it's only lunchtime on Wednesday right now. As I'm not due back into work until 2pm on Thursday, there is still room for a lot more input yet. My fingers will have blisters on them, the speed they have been dancing over this laptop keyboard!

Thirdly, I got to a point where I could wrap the story up. By that I mean, a clue was revealed that is enough to fit all the other pieces together for DCI Morgen. I plan on winding it up in true Christie style with a gathering of characters and a revelation of the whole thing, (and that bit hasn't been written yet), but it does mean I'm coming to the end.

..and by end, I mean the story will have a beginning, middle and end completed. There will still be several thousand words to add to flesh out certain scenes, and add extra scenes to throw readers away from the real plot. Can't make it too easy for you now can I :D

I have learned a few things recently about writing that I wish I had known from day one. I should have kept a fake diary so I have a definite timeline of events in the story. It's amazing how often you want to write 'yesterday' or 'a few days ago' but I have to check that the events I'm talking about really were 'yesterday' or 'a few days ago'. The concept of time passing is really hard to keep track of.

The other difficult bit is one I know some TV detective shows have failed to spot. Which characters know what information. I've lost track of the amount of times I've seen Barnaby or Marple etc mention something in their big conclusion speech that they had no way of knowing. Yes, we the audience knew about it because we saw it in a flash-back or as an extra scene, but how did the detective find out? I can sympathise with the writers though, I keep finding myself writing a piece of speech for one person, then realising they can only have known if if they had been told by someone else. Again, if I'd kept a detailed notebook which cross-referenced the information it would have been easier...

...I'll know for next time :)