Seven Good Deeds (Excerpt)

Probably the hardest piece I've ever had to write, or at least the one I struggled the most with overall. Mainly because it was such a large idea that had to be condensed down into 8,000 words - as which 8,000 words of a 120,000-word idea do you focus on? 

I eventually decided on the start, which ended up being a million miles away from what I originally envisaged, but ended up being one of my favourite parts of the piece. Whilst the rest became a jumbled mash-up of earlier ideas, hence why you’re only getting an excerpt of the beginning!

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I think if I were to return to this project (and that’s a BIG if), it would probably need to be all written in one big caffeine-fuelled writing session spanning several months, to figure out the good ideas from the bad. But as it stands, Seven Good Deeds is a cautionary tale against acting in haste and putting oneself before others. With elements of fantasy, tragedy and horror, it explores how the actions we think through the least can often affect us the most.

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*Potential Spoilers* After a reckless decision causes the demise of a fellow smuggler, James Claybrook refuses to accept that his actions forced the smuggler’s family into a life of poverty. After their untimely deaths, he is cursed by an ancient spirit to live out their lifespans. This allows him to connect with the people he has wronged, and discover the good deeds he must complete on their behalf to end the curse. In time, he comes to realise the pain and suffering he has caused them, as well as how much influence one man’s actions can have on others.

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Let me know what you think in the Contact section. Or if you'd like to know more about the piece or have any other questions, please feel free to send me a message at jmprowriting@gmail.com.