Hiatus

I apologize, but I'm currently on a hiatus for writing. I need to do more world creation before I can start my new book, and need feedback from a beta reader before I can edit the scenes in the book I've just completed. I'll post again as soon as I am able to start writing more. If I write and post a short story to Reedsy you guys will definitely be updated 🙂

As always

❥ Stay Safe

First Draft Complete

I have mixed feelings.
I finished chapter 20, I now have a total of 56,635 words. That may change as I edit and possibly add scenes. I am excited with my achievement, but I'm almost sad to have finished the book. It was a companion. I know that I can move on to book two or work more with that other idea I had, but there is this feeling of missing something when you finish writing a book. It's similar to how I feel after I've finished reading a wonderful book for the first time. Even though I can visit again I know it won't be the same.

It's late and I need to sleep so I will end this one here. I also need to decide what I'm doing next. I will post with updates once I decide what that is.

❥ Stay Safe

Over 50,000 words!

I wrote chapter 18 yesterday (all 2,885 words) and chapter 19 today (2,934 words). I crossed the 50,000 word mark yesterday. Honestly super excited. I only have one chapter left. I might write an epilogue but I don't know that this book needs one. It leaves off on an almost cliffhanger if I do it right and an epilogue would ruin that. I'm tempted to publish this book in a chapter by chapter format. But I'll think on that for a bit first.

Got back the edited version of chapter 7 of my older story. I need to go through that. Honestly I'm thinking of just starting chapter 20 tonight. There are days where you just want to sit and write and write and write. Apparently today is one of those for me. I'll either update later today or tomorrow depending on when I finish chapter 20.

❥ Stay Safe

Technically an update

It took a long time but I finally managed to finish chapter 17. I had to do it in smaller time sections. I just wasn't in a mental state to be able to do it for longer. I also had to take breaks as I was struggling to figure out what I wanted from the chapter.

In the time since I last posted I had another idea. I've been writing what little I have, and doing slow world building. I don't plan to seriously write it until I finish the book I'm currently working on. Though I may end up writing both at once (switching back and forth depending on my mood). Might make me manage to do more writing. More writing means I'll get better at writing.

Still been slowly editing my other book. I've had to leave some of it for later as it would require me to compare the two documents next to each other. Normally she marks what she changed in yellow, but sometimes she doesn't and I'd have to go back and forth to figure out what she changed. I don't want to accept changes when I don't know what they are.

I finally got stuff for pain management that is actually working with no real side effects so far. I'll be keeping an eye out for side effects though. So that's a definite improvement and why I've been able to sit and write so much today. I've been writing for at least an hour, and managed about 1,500 words.

❥ Stay Safe

It's been awhile, completed chapter 16

I know it's been awhile, between pain meds, stress, and a CT scan I wasn't up to writing. I finally did though, I finished chapter 16 (puts me at a little over 44,000 words). The second part of the chapter surprised me, it's always fun when unexpected things happen. Definitely have stuff to put in the prequel books from this chapter. When a character's past crops up a bit you definitely need to keep track of it for future use.

For my other book I've been having the person I talked about edit bits of it. I'm hoping she'll continue to do so, as she's catching stuff I wouldn't have.

Going to keep this post short as I've been easily burned out lately.

❥ Stay Safe

Started Chapter 16 and other updates

I wrote 770 words in chapter 16 today. I only spent about 40 minutes writing. I'd continue the chapter, but honestly I'm still not feeling well. Plus I need to decide which point of view I want for the next bit. My characters are going to need to escape a situation and I haven't decided who would be best for that. I'm just happy that I managed to write today at all. If I can manage to finish the chapter this weekend I'll be really happy. However, with how weak I've been feeling (being heat sick really took a lot out of me, more than I expected) I'm not going to beat myself up if I don't manage it. My focus right now is to get feeling 100% again, and to help a friend who isn't doing well mentally.

An update from the other stuff I talked about yesterday, I sent a piece of my book to the woman I was talking about. I'm not saying her name or relation to me because I value her privacy (I write this blog under a pen name so I feel it's best to list names as little as possible). If I were to start giving substitute names for everyone I may mention in this blog I'd lose track of who's fake name belonged to who. So unfortunately for now it's all based on context.

She and her husband are going to look at the chapter I sent them and get back to me on whether they feel up to the task of helping me edit. I really hope they are up for it, but they're getting on in years and I understand if they aren't. Even if they aren't able to help it's still a step forward for me since I reached out. To me the first round of editing (the parts that the writer can't do by themselves) should be done by someone the writer trusts. It's a very vulnerable thing to send the just shy of raw copy of your book to someone. Pieces of your soul are attached to that. Sending it to someone I trust helps me feel a little safer, and hopefully will help me accept the changes they suggest.

❥ Stay Safe

Mostly random thoughts

I was hoping to start chapter 16 today but I got heat sick (I call it that because my symptoms aren't quite in line with heat exhaustion, but cooling myself down, drinking liquids, and resting seem to help) yesterday and don't have the energy for it. I did a little prep work and plan to start it tomorrow. It goes better if I can do a whole chapter in a day, but that's just not always possible.

I did get to talk to someone about my book and my plans for future books in this world. It was a lot of fun to discuss. Talked magic concepts, race concepts, and how the history of my world blends into how things are at the beginning of book one. I also found out that their wife would like to at least beta read the book I finished last year. As it is still being edited I'm not sure if I'll make them wait or if I'll get them to help. The problem is I really don't want to share the book with many people until I'm ready for beta readers.

I believe I'm going to email someone I know and trust to ask if they'd be interested in helping me edit my completed book. The people currently helping me aren't able to spend much time on it and so it's been dragging on for months. I've done what editing I can on my own so I think it's best if I reach out for help on this. Bonus on this blog is it helps me think some things through. Definitely going to send her a text and see if she's willing to lend a hand.

Thanks for taking the time to read this. Honestly it helps to know that there are some people who like to take a minute to read my "ruminations" (thoughts/ramblings).

❥ Stay safe!