👓 Lawnmower Disasters, One Blurry Eye, and Diving into the Weimar Republic
I have been writing quite a bit this week. My newest work in progress (WIP), which currently has the running title of Weimar Republic, has completely enthralled me.
I’ve already written five chapters, and the manuscript is progressing nicely, even though a massive amount of historical research has been needed. Finding out what everyday life was actually like in Germany during this era has been utterly fascinating. What regular people went through in the years following the First World War was extraordinary.
To help me decide exactly what year the story should start in, and where to take the characters, I’ve been mapping out the historical timeline of the era.
⏳ Timeline of the Collapse: 1918–1932
The trajectory from the end of WWI to the ultimate political tipping point shows how a series of compounding crises directly set the stage for what followed:
Defeat & Revolution
1918–1919
WWI ends. The Kaiser abdicates, and a fragile new democracy—the Weimar Republic—is born amidst violent street revolts. The crushing financial reparations of the Treaty of Versailles are imposed.
The Ruhr Occupation
January 1923
Germany misses a reparations delivery of timber and coal. French and Belgian troops occupy the Ruhr Valley to seize goods by force. German workers go on strike, and the government prints money to pay them.
Total Economic Collapse
November 1923
Hyperinflation peaks. A single loaf of bread costs over 200 billion Marks. Adolf Hitler attempts his first coup (the Beer Hall Putsch) in Munich, exploiting the chaos, but fails.
The Rentenmark & Recovery
1924–1928
A new currency (the Rentenmark) restores economic stability. American loans pour into the country. Berlin temporarily becomes the avant-garde cultural capital of Europe, though political undercurrents remain incredibly tense.
The Wall Street Crash
October 1929
The global economy collapses. US banks instantly pull their funds out of Germany, causing German banks to fail and local businesses to shutter overnight.
The Political Tipping Point
1930–1932
As poverty explodes across the nation, voters abandon moderate political parties. In the July 1932 elections, the Nazi party wins 37% of the vote, becoming the largest party in parliament.
🕵️♂️ Learning to Write in a Whole New Era
This is the framework I use when researching eras I want to write about. However, this particular WIP has been a bit more difficult than my previous books. Normally, I’m only writing a single introductory chapter set in the past before shifting to the modern day to follow the clues of a missing treasure.
Writing a full-length book entirely in the 1920s and 1930s is a whole new experience. I'm having to find out what specific clothes they wore, what foods they ate, the exact weather patterns of the time, common names of the era, and the stark differences between the working class and the incredibly wealthy. It is a massive amount of homework, but that’s the part of the process I truly enjoy.
The interesting thing is that, as a true "Pantser," I still have no idea where the plot is going to end up! I need to weave in some major twists that people won't see coming, whilst staying completely true to the bleak reality of the period. People literally died during this time simply because they couldn't afford a loaf of bread, and families were completely torn apart by their conflicting political views.
When you read about this era, you’d think the human race would have learned from its catastrophic mistakes—but then WWII started anyway. Looking at the world at the moment, with prices rising rapidly and wages completely failing to keep pace, it really makes you wonder. With the ongoing wars in Ukraine and the Middle East, it feels like history is constantly echoing. What a world we live in.
🚜 The Great Lawnmower Incident
I had a bit of a disaster this weekend that completely stumped my writing progress.
While taking the dog out, I tucked my reading spectacles safely into the collar of my shirt. When we returned, I decided to head straight into the garden to cut the grass. I got the lawnmower out, did the full lawn, put the mower away, and then casually asked the wife what I’d done with my glasses.
She rightly told me they were in my shirt. After a frantic search, I looked out across the garden with a sinking feeling. Yep—I had dropped them on the lawn and completely run them over with the mower. They are entirely destroyed.
Now, I’ve been waiting for a sample pair of trial contact lenses from my opticians since the 4th of June. Even though it was a Sunday, the city centre branch was open, so we rushed into Peterborough to see if they had finally arrived. Unbelievably, they still weren't in! The staff couldn't quite believe the delay either. So, I am currently sitting here with absolutely no glasses, trying to type out this week’s blog with one dodgy, completely blurry left eye.
📚 What I’m Reading...
Celtic Empire by Clive Cussler (with Dirk Cussler)
Because of the great lawnmower disaster, I haven’t managed to get much reading done this week! I am still parked on chapter eight of Clive Cussler’s Celtic Empire. I am desperate to find out where the mystery goes next, but the book is going to have to wait until my new contact lenses or a replacement pair of glasses finally turn up.
Enjoyed the ride? 📖
I balance my writing life with a full-time day job, which means covers, research, and advertising all come out of my own pocket. If you’d like to see these books reach more readers—and help me stay caffeinated while I write them—you can support my work here. Your help keeps the "Stream" flowing and the books coming.
📬 Want to follow the journey?
I send occasional emails about writing, publishing, and the stories behind The Newman Adventures.
Newsletter subscribers also get an exclusive sneak peek of Book 2, An American Treasure.
👉 Join here: The Newman Chronicle
📚 The Newman Adventures
An Irish Mystery A fast-paced historical adventure about stolen treasures, hidden histories, and the cost of obsession. The story that started it all.
An American Treasure The journey continues! Cedric Newman returns in a high-stakes hunt for the lost riches of Mosby's Rangers. Action, mystery, and a new enemy await.
Available in Ebook, Kindle Unlimited, Paperback & Hardcover
📱 Let’s Connect
You can also find me on Instagram, Bluesky, X, and Facebook, where I share writing updates, research snippets, and behind-the-scenes moments from the school building and the writing desk.
I love reading books written during and around the 1st and 2nd world War. Looking forward to seeing 👀 this one and another one in the Newman Adventures very soon .
ReplyDelete