Structurally Speaking

I knew it would change, but didn’t think it would change this quickly. What was once looking to be a three part tome has now been squeezed into a two-part less than tome. Actually, it will probably end up being the same length, but I was in severe danger of producing something verging on the anally-retentive; allow me to explain…

Part One is called “Groundwork” and provides the basic background behind the book: why it was written, the things that underlie its philosophy, a detailed description of the targets (Tools of Disconnection) and the people who would most likely be carrying out the things detailed in the book (Undermining, that is) plus the Rules of Undermining.

Part Two was going to be called, “The Principles of Undermining” which was to contain chapters detailing the four processes of Undermining (no clues yet, but they have been published elsewhere if you care to look), a section about risk, and a couple of chapters easing readers gently into the practice of Undermining.

Finally, Part Three was going to be called “The Practice of Undermining” which was to contain a batch of chapters giving details of the methodology across a wide range of targets. This was to be the “meat” of the book and the real reason for reading it.

Then I realised that I was writing far more about not doing Undermining than doing it. Like an interminable introduction to a movie that has a quick exciting battle scene at the end. What was I thinking of!?

So Part Two has gone – consigned to the dustbin of bad ideas (reminder to self: tell the publisher of the changes) with just one chapter moved over to Part One. Part Two is also renamed, simply “Undermining”, which I think has much more impact. That leaves a far more manageable (approximately) 40% theory and 60% practice, which I think might make a good book.

Watch this space (please).