So because posting blogs is very convoluted now, and because there seems to be no edit button for when mistakes are made, I managed to accidentally post this Writing Update a couple of weeks ago in some strange section of the blog where it would likely never be seen. It only dawned on me recently that I could just... repost it. Thus, that is what I'm doing, along with some updates.
It's only been a month since my last update, but it feels like a lot longer. Previously, I was moving forward on my novels, and was considering a fan fiction tale set in the Ticalla and centered on Moriko. How have things changed?
Fan Fiction
The Moriko tale is still there. Unfortunately, as I developed the character of Moriko, I began to realize that I was trying to force a character into a setting where she didn't belong. Moriko belongs to her own story, and eventually I had to admit that she had nothing to do with the Ticalla Expedition. Trying to fit them in would have felt very forced. This of course meant Moriko was left without a setting. This doesn't mean the story is dead. Another setting should theoretically be pretty easy to craft, and there is definitely a lot of potential with Moriko's character. However, once I realized what I had done, I also realized how much time it would take to create Moriko's story. At that point, I decided I needed to return to my novels.
I did however take a weekend and finally whack a DoD sequel into shape. I've had it in my head for awhile how Taelord's arc continues and ends. It fell into three books - really two and a half, since the middle one would be very short. However, the third book had... issues. I knew that if I wrote it the way I was envisioning it, it would crash and burn. So I finally took a few days and worked out the proper way to write it, while still maintaining my vision.
Moving forward, I've taken a break from my novels, which were going nowhere, and devoted the last week or so to Taelord's story. The three books are moving along nicely, and interest is high. I am currently working on stakes, and so far they are coming together. Following stakes, I need to progress Taelord's character to account for how he has changed in the intervening years, along with other side characters. Beyond that though, there won't be much to do aside from outlining. The stories will be very short, collectively comprising about 150% the volume of a normal fan fiction.
How long will I continue work on the fan fiction? It's hard to say. Right now, my interest is very high, so work will continue. At this time, I would say I will only switch back to my novels if one of three things happen: I lose interest in fan fiction, I gain interest in the novels, or I hit an impass with fan fiction and have to take a break. So far, none of those things seem likely, so at the moment it's full steam ahead on Taelord's story.
Novels
Thus, onto the novels. I am rapidly homing in on the end of the development. Just recently, I finished the development for the main side character, which leaves only two side characters to go, both of whom should be easier to develop. The main character arc is in place for the first two books, but while working on the side character, I discovered that the third book didn't make sense. So I need to redo the end of the main arc, and likely revisit the stakes related to that book as well. This could take some time, anywhere from a day to a month, depending on how quickly I identify how to fix the problem.
Following that though, what's left? Not much. As I mentioned, two side characters still need to be developed. I would give that a month, maybe a month and a half depending on if there are any issues. A few lingering questions related to the plot need to be dealt with. I would give that a few weeks. Then I need to look into escalation, which could again take a few weeks (or possibly none - I think the plot is escalating itself already). At that point the development is done. I then need to detail the outline, which should take about a month for the first book (I won't detail the next two books until I'm about to write them). Then the actual writing can begin, which is the equivalent of the final draft.
All in all, that puts the beginning of the writing somewhere between the beginning of August or the middle of September. I think that's a pretty generous estimation, so I still expect to be starting the writing somewhere around July. Either way, I will be writing - or have written - the first novel before this year is up.
... Time to look into the publishing process again I guess.
Until then though, keep reading, and I'll see you next month.
~TGRF.
It's only been a month since my last update, but it feels like a lot longer. Previously, I was moving forward on my novels, and was considering a fan fiction tale set in the Ticalla and centered on Moriko. How have things changed?
Fan Fiction
The Moriko tale is still there. Unfortunately, as I developed the character of Moriko, I began to realize that I was trying to force a character into a setting where she didn't belong. Moriko belongs to her own story, and eventually I had to admit that she had nothing to do with the Ticalla Expedition. Trying to fit them in would have felt very forced. This of course meant Moriko was left without a setting. This doesn't mean the story is dead. Another setting should theoretically be pretty easy to craft, and there is definitely a lot of potential with Moriko's character. However, once I realized what I had done, I also realized how much time it would take to create Moriko's story. At that point, I decided I needed to return to my novels.
I did however take a weekend and finally whack a DoD sequel into shape. I've had it in my head for awhile how Taelord's arc continues and ends. It fell into three books - really two and a half, since the middle one would be very short. However, the third book had... issues. I knew that if I wrote it the way I was envisioning it, it would crash and burn. So I finally took a few days and worked out the proper way to write it, while still maintaining my vision.
Moving forward, I've taken a break from my novels, which were going nowhere, and devoted the last week or so to Taelord's story. The three books are moving along nicely, and interest is high. I am currently working on stakes, and so far they are coming together. Following stakes, I need to progress Taelord's character to account for how he has changed in the intervening years, along with other side characters. Beyond that though, there won't be much to do aside from outlining. The stories will be very short, collectively comprising about 150% the volume of a normal fan fiction.
How long will I continue work on the fan fiction? It's hard to say. Right now, my interest is very high, so work will continue. At this time, I would say I will only switch back to my novels if one of three things happen: I lose interest in fan fiction, I gain interest in the novels, or I hit an impass with fan fiction and have to take a break. So far, none of those things seem likely, so at the moment it's full steam ahead on Taelord's story.
Novels
Thus, onto the novels. I am rapidly homing in on the end of the development. Just recently, I finished the development for the main side character, which leaves only two side characters to go, both of whom should be easier to develop. The main character arc is in place for the first two books, but while working on the side character, I discovered that the third book didn't make sense. So I need to redo the end of the main arc, and likely revisit the stakes related to that book as well. This could take some time, anywhere from a day to a month, depending on how quickly I identify how to fix the problem.
Following that though, what's left? Not much. As I mentioned, two side characters still need to be developed. I would give that a month, maybe a month and a half depending on if there are any issues. A few lingering questions related to the plot need to be dealt with. I would give that a few weeks. Then I need to look into escalation, which could again take a few weeks (or possibly none - I think the plot is escalating itself already). At that point the development is done. I then need to detail the outline, which should take about a month for the first book (I won't detail the next two books until I'm about to write them). Then the actual writing can begin, which is the equivalent of the final draft.
All in all, that puts the beginning of the writing somewhere between the beginning of August or the middle of September. I think that's a pretty generous estimation, so I still expect to be starting the writing somewhere around July. Either way, I will be writing - or have written - the first novel before this year is up.
... Time to look into the publishing process again I guess.
Until then though, keep reading, and I'll see you next month.
~TGRF.
