London: Helen Fielding has started work on a third Bridget Jones novel, 13 years after its predecessor.

With a new film and a musical based on the singleton in the pipeline, Fielding turned to the world of texting and Twitter to help her write a new “scenario for Bridget.”

“I’m having a lot of fun, and it’s very funny and it’s making me laugh”, she told BBC Radio 4’s ‘Woman’s Hour.’

Bridget Jones was born out of a weekly column in The Independent in 1995. The first two books, ‘Bridget Jones’ Diary’ and ‘The Edge of Reason,’ sold more than 15 million copies and inspired two films, with Renee Zellweger in the starring role.

After living in Los Angeles for much of the past decade, Fielding returned to London two years ago with her two children - and it was then that she rediscovered the voice of Bridget.

“After the unexpected success when it first came out, I was startled by the whole thing,” Fielding said.

“When I first wrote it I didn’t think anyone would read it. It was just a column in the Independent, so it was very easy to write and be very honest - and then I got all self-conscious because I knew so many people would read it,” she said

However, in spring of 2011, the author hit upon a way forward.

“I had new stuff I wanted to say and things that were making me laugh,” Fielding said.

“Things that didn’t exist when I wrote the last Bridget, like emails really, and texting, the way life is lived through texting and Twitter, and a whole new idea for a phase of her life. It’s more like ‘number of Twitter followers: 0. Still no followers. Still no followers’. But she has grown up,” she said.

Fielding revealed that the book will be set in present day London.

“My life has moved on and hers will move on too,” Fielding said.

“She’s still trying to give up [drinking and smoking], she’s still on a diet. She’s trying a bit harder, and is a bit more successful, but she’s never really going to change,” she added.

ANI