Hardboiled version analysis

In which I explain the inner workings of that post

Jason Fox, aka Terry Freedman, by Terry Freedman

Believe it or not, although I usually refer to my writing practice as “bashing it out”, I do think quite deeply and extensively about what I put down on paper, so to speak. And never more so than when I was working on the ‘Hardboiled’ version. So here, by popular demand (a unanimous “Yes please, I need this information” response to my poll), is a breakdown of what I did and why. Go grab yourself a cup of hot fluid, sit in a comfy chair, and concentrate!

Overview

While I was writing this, I had in mind the film version of Farewell, My Lovely. At one point Marlowe says:

“I was working on a $25-a-day breeze, trying to locate a 15-year-old runaway from Carmel - an honors student, majoring in men. She had all ''A's'', none of them on her report card. She had only one other interest - dancing.”

I love that sardonic humour.

I also had in mind the opening sequence of the film, a lovely blend of the lonely neon-lighted city streets and slow, sad, newspaper-blowing-down-the-street-at 2am jazz. See and listen for yourself:

OK, now let’s get down to business.