Sunday 19 April 2015

Choose your theme....

I had lunch with Len yesterday, who was on good form. No major news regarding the various film projects where rights have been obtained and development is, supposedly starting - Horse Under Water, SS-GB, Bomber (16 years of rights held, no progress) and the Game, Set and Match triple trilogy. However, interesting hints from Len around the production of SS-GB.

More broadly, he's agreed to do another QandA session with questions from readers and members of the Deighton Dossier blog and Facebook page.

As readers will know, over the years Len's been kind enough to do four online interviews, answering readers' questions. This will be the fifth of these.

What I want to do this time is run a QandA with a theme, and ask members to come up with questions around that theme.

So, first thought - what would be a good overall theme for the next QandA?

Please share your ideas below. I'll then put out a request for questions, and we'll go from there. 

Some first ideas from me:

  • Characters - inspirations, favourites, approach
  • Technology - influence on story ideas, details, plot usage
  • The writing process - approach, tricks, failures
  • Making movies - the directors, behind the scenes, the stars

4 comments:

  1. If Len was a new author in 2015, instead of 1960, would he still pick the spy genre for his debut? The spy genre and the 2nd world war -> Coldwar seem so implicitly Deighton it's almost impossible to imagine Len launching his career any other way. But what does he think?

    Could he see the Harry Palmer character engaged, instead, in the 'war against terror'

    ReplyDelete
  2. 1. Sidney Furie and Harry Saltzman
    How were Len’s relationships with them?
    2. Wring process
    About his writing process, Frederick Forsyth says:( http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1347221/Frederick-Forsyth-I-characters-need-false-passport-I-one.html)
    “The process of doing my research is never quick. But if you’re going to do a job, you might as well do it well. Writer’s block only happens if you haven’t prepared properly. When I sit down to write I’m surrounded by a horseshoe of tables, on each of which there is a pile of research and a notebook corresponding to a particular character or place. These are so detailed, the book practically writes itself when I start. I write ten pages a day and can complete a book in 45 days”
    What was Len’s writing process, from research down to actual writing?

    Simon

    ReplyDelete
  3. 1. Sidney Furie and Harry Saltzman
    How were Len’s relationships with them?
    2. Wring process
    About his writing process, Frederick Forsyth says:( http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/moslive/article-1347221/Frederick-Forsyth-I-characters-need-false-passport-I-one.html)
    “The process of doing my research is never quick. But if you’re going to do a job, you might as well do it well. Writer’s block only happens if you haven’t prepared properly. When I sit down to write I’m surrounded by a horseshoe of tables, on each of which there is a pile of research and a notebook corresponding to a particular character or place. These are so detailed, the book practically writes itself when I start. I write ten pages a day and can complete a book in 45 days”
    What was Len’s writing process, from research down to actual writing?

    Simon

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If I can add 2 questions please?
      London at "The Ipcress File " time. Len knew London well then, and as a keen observer of London then and now, although he does not visit London often now, I would be interested to know: :
      1. What he thinks of London in early 1960s, and now?
      2. In what way he would use the technology to shape his ideas for a novel?

      Thanks

      Simon

      Delete