Hello,

Thank you for the likes and follows.

Last week, adjusting to the day job and writing life. It is a constant struggle. But the funds are needed. Therefore this week’s update will be brief and posted on Tuesday.

This feels like a disservice to anyone interested in my writing process or status. I apologize. I have been working on Gothic 12 rdx, the story, the characters, etc. I wrote in a previous entry that I would also be working on Connection Lost and that did not happen. Believe it or not Gothic is an older idea than Connection Lost. I didn’t expect it to have this effect on me. Both stories are in the fast draft process. Connection Lost is further along than Gothic, because I had to dump 10k words. Another dilemma I had last week was organization. I used to write everything in an A5 binder. It got too heavy for me to travel with. The process became cumbersome. I have put it aside to attempt something else. I basically built a notebook. I printed out the needed pages- stories’ outlines and other worksheets. The writing planner offered by Sarra Cannon and lined paper. My daughter bound it up for me and made it a book. I have been using that for the last week with ease. The other challenge is not to make it too heavy. Overall I am happy with this.

In the past I have mentioned posting reviews of books I am reading. I started a new book journal and I will start sharing my thoughts on what I am reading, watching, or listening to, in February. The plan is to make them informative and entertaining.

In reading news, I have not caught up to all the hiatus books. I did start to read a manhwa I put on pause two years ago. It was found on a webcomic site, Tappytoons and I didn’t have the budget to read it. Tappytoons is a paysite for points similar to Webtoon. The story is now complete. It is called Survival Marriage by Wann. It is an interesting, alternate world story that I have not seen in other josei manhwa. It has 80 chapters and I am only at 30-something. I will most likely just review the first major story arc.

A sidenote explanation: I am aware that josei and manhwa are terms that don’t go together. Josei is a Japanese word used in publishing to mean woman. Manhwa is the Korean term for manga. I will attempt to use the appropriate term depending on where the comic/graphic novel is coming from, ie. DC Wonder Woman is a comic book; Something is Killing the Children-a horror graphic novel; Kimi Ni Todoke is a shoujo manga etc.

The craft book I’m listening to on Audible is called Worldbuilding for Fantasy Fans and Authors by M. D. Presley. It is an in-depth deep dive into worldbuilding using the usual suspects as examples. I am hoping to get some insight on how to develop my story worlds.

That is all I have for now. I hope you all are doing well.

End.

Hello,

Thank you for the likes and follows.

The first week of 2023 has been different. I started a day job similar to what I have done before with other clients. It has been a little draining and adjusting to a new routine may take some time. I want to sound positive bursting with energy and good vibes. I am faking it until I make it.

With those few words of perseverance, I would like to add that working on the writing projects is going well. For the first quarter of the year, the project titles are Connection Lost, Scions rdx, and Gothic. I have written about Connection Lost before and it is still in the fast draft process.  It is a little over 8,000 words and still in act one.  It is supposed to be a 25k novella. It is part of a larger story.  My goal is for this draft to be complete by the end of March.  

Scions rdx it is in the process of plot and preparation.  I have done a lot of thinking about structure and framing of this story but I have never really put anything in writing.  This story involves dragons.  The main character was named after a mother of monsters. When I came up with the idea I thought it was so cool and then I preceded to read several books with the same name as my character.  It didn’t kill the story, but it did give me pause.   That is all I can write about this story for now.  

Gothic is an old idea I came up with years ago.  It is an urban fantasy that involves vampires, immortals, and mages.   This story was one of the many in which I lost focus.  It had no outline and after 10k words, I didn’t see the point of the story.  I would put the story aside for a time then come back to it and see all the potential.  This story got the most drastic treatment, I put aside those 10k words of the first draft.  Its plot and preparation are being completely revamped (no pun intended). By the end of March these stories should be in the next phase of production. 

That is all for now. I hope the year is turning out well for you all.

End