After another eventful month, it’s time our latest recap…

Last month was a time for reflection, to ponder the future of certain projects. October, on the other hand, has been a lot more action. I’ve been a bit all over the place, in all honesty! Tying up loose ends on some things, storming ahead on others, while still keeping the future firmly in the back of my mind.

You Can Hear Chopin from the Attic

We start with the progress on the first draft of my latest novel, the World War II thriller You Can Hear Chopin from the Attic.

FOUR. CHAPTERS. LEFT.

That’s all that stands between me and my goal of finishing the draft before the end of the year. Well ahead of schedule, really. I’ve just finished writing the climactic deaths of two major characters, and at the risk of revealing too much, I have three more to kill off in these final pages!

And still, as I mentioned last month, I can’t shake the feeling that a lot of it will get cut. Or at least re-orientated from another character’s perspective. Any other authors reading this will know how important it is to just keep writing until the first draft is finished. Pick it apart and poke holes in it afterwards. That’s what I’m keeping in the back of my mind to push me ahead.

Almost home free with Book Three, as it stands. Let’s just see if I can bear to read it through once it’s done.

The Dale Hurst Writing Show

My podcast, The Dale Hurst Writing Show, was also the subject of some uncertainty in September. Specifically its future. I’ve already been offered an opportunity related to the show, which will be quite exciting if I accept it. It’ll hopefully mean an uptick in our listenership and overall awareness of the podcast.

I’m determined to continue with at least one more full season, because the feedback I do receive, from listeners and the guests themselves, is always so positive. I recently recorded one of the last episodes of the season with my guest in person — a rarity in itself — and received such lovely comments about the show from them. That encourages me to continue. If anything, I’d like to host the podcast that other writers, publishers, storytellers, creatives are happy to feature on.

This month, I’m also reuniting with a few of my former guests as we record the season finale.

Other projects

I’ve been in the mood to crack out a couple of short stories in time for the New Year. When I will no doubt try to challenge myself to enter at least one writing competition per month. Competitions, journals and suchlike — they’re valuable to get your name out there as a fledgling writer, and keep the creative cogs turning.

One of my latest struggles has been over an idea for something on the theme of Music. Being a musical person, it’s a theme that means a lot of different things to me. The key thing is nostalgia — I find certain songs cast me back to different periods of my life. Anything from the 1990s and early 2000s is childhood for me, whereas the older music actually takes me into my teenage years. My misspent youth, you might say. Others conjure images from my hotel days, or when I used to present on student radio when I was at university. And yet it was difficult to put this into a story or a poem. But we have come up with something else since, which I might discuss further (if you ask me nicely…)

What else have I been thinking about? Only the next major project to follow You Can Hear Chopin. Last month, I mentioned something more collaborative, and I’m sticking by that. A film or something else video-related is one thing; on the other hand, I could be persuaded to something more audio-based. Either way, I’m picturing a noir crime thriller, featuring the classic hardboiled private eye. But, of course, with some twists. Watch this particular space…

What would you like me to work on next? Let me know in the comments or on my socials. Like my Facebook page and Follow me on Instagram and get in touch.

Reviewing my most recent creative progress from the last few weeks…

I’ve been on something of a hiatus this month, with progress on certain projects drawing to a temporary halt. This gave me time to reflect on these projects’ direction and future, and what I plan to work on next. Some big decisions being made behind the scenes. Here’s how things have been going across September.

The Dale Hurst Writing Show

Regular visitors will probably know plenty about my podcast, The Dale Hurst Writing Show, which is approaching the halfway point of its third season. So far, I’ve released episodes with a diversity of guests — novelists, poets, filmmakers and publishing pros — with more of the same to come as we build up to Christmas. Speaking of which, this last couple of weeks has been spent planning the final episodes, including our festive special. Many more interesting guests to listen in on.

The main consideration for the podcast is its future… where do I take it from here? Several ideas are on the table at the moment. Currently weighing up pros and cons, and choosing over my favourites, some of which involve working with more people than just my guests. More news to come once I’ve arrived at a final decision.

You Can Hear Chopin from the Attic

The majority of August saw some of the highest productivity from me in terms of writing my war thriller novel, You Can Hear Chopin from the Attic. To the point where, based on chapters, I’m over 80% of the way through the first draft.

In September… I’m ashamed to say I’ve barely moved. It’s been a much slower month, not least due to the heat wave that coincided with a trip to Wales. However, it gave me a chance to think about what’s going to happen to the story in the re-drafting and editing process. What’s going to change. Currently, the changes could be quite extreme. Not just a different ending, but also a change to the main protagonist, which could even put the novel’s title out of commission!

Nothing is confirmed yet until I read through the draft once it’s finished. I’m just very aware that there are things I need to change off the bat.

Other projects

I have far too many ideas floating around for what to take on as my next project, following completion of You Can Hear Chopin. Not that we’re anywhere near that stage yet. But I find it helps to know what I’m moving onto next. Having gone from novel to novel to novel, with very little variety in between, I’m entertaining the idea of a more collaborative project next. So, rather than moving straight onto Book 4 — whether that’d be another standalone project or a return to Berylford — I’m thinking more along the lines of a film or play.

On the other hand, I could compile a load of poem and short story ideas into a collection and publish that instead. These ideas have been growing in number lately, and with a lack of recent success in competitions, it would be good to give them an outlet.

What would you like me to work on next? Let me know in the comments or on my socials. Like my Facebook page and Follow me on Instagram and get in touch.