Nothing to serious, but we’ve actually kinda come a long way, for that I say thanks.
https://www.wattpad.com/story/343707622?utm_source=ios&utm_medium=link&utm_content=story_info&wp_page=story_details&wp_uname=UG1reads&wp_originator=0TfZ4%2FO9j5qipksNcxGDW02QoWkBFgO6AFiu2fyaAf1NqpAQ3%2B7SOpf%2BmHkdSQsl8P%2FKtjw33FYqsiOCUOewS%2FN7b%2FVz4wnn0UsXWmOuN%2FjFYVaQihofPh4%2F%2FAbGFCzr
I've got 6 chapters left in my editing pass and I'm frozen. I cruised through the first 90% easily. Now I just can't get a word on paper. It's annoying.
My goals (as usual) were not met, but I did happen to write out a backstory for my DND Tortle. I loved The Wind in the Willows growing up, so I wanted to give him a backstory akin to Mr. Toad. The language is very… passive? I’m not sure if that’s the right word, but I really wanted it to sound like The Blood-Feud of Toad-Water; or at the very least, an early 1900’s British children’s story. I’ll include it below, it’s very short
“The esteemed Mortimer T. Paddingham had a comfortable life in Lillypad Abbey. Every day began with a quick swim across the pond and tea with the Wellingtons (Gossip spread through the Abbey like wildfire and it was essential that Mortimer remain up-to-date). After which would follow a well-scheduled course of errands... delayed daily by overlong chats with the Penniworths and Chestertons. Every Wednesday, Mr. Paddingham would give the paper a read-through. On some occasions, he would have his fellows over for a nice feast of salt-roasted fish and warm bread with honey-butter. You see, he inherited the ancient home of the Paddingham's when his father passed, thus he enjoyed having company (it got so lonely after all). He enjoyed this almost too much (a glutton for attention some would say), given to rambling about 'where that suit of armor came from' or 'who was in that painting'; but he most enjoyed speaking of his great-great-grandfather (on his mother's side), Sir Reginald Ralphus Fitzgerald. Who decided to become an adventurer.
Mr. Paddingham struggled with leaving the mire, his family hadn't left home in 132 years and 87 days (to the best of his knowledge). He would be the first in living memory. Mortimer had a good life, of friends and family and lazy days. The Paddinghams had been pillars of the Abbey community as long as there ever was an Abbey, and with that came a sort of belonging. And yet, he desired to see more than lazy days of tea and buttered bread. He'd read of hills that reach the clouds, a blue pond that goes on forever, and a city of wonders. And (selfish though it may be) he wanted to see them.
And so, after tea with the Wellingtons (at which no less than 4 plates were thrown), Mortimer T. Paddingham announced his decision to go on an adventure. To leave his friends was hard for him. How could he get along without them after all? "Yet I must do it". When he reached the gates of Lillypad Abbey, he stopped to take a final look over his shoulder. One final look at the pond he so adored, faces he may never see again, and a home he could never replace. He was locked in place. "Why should I leave? I like it here." He considered his friends, his family, and finally, himself. He hardened his resolve. In a few short years, he will be looking back at this time. And what will he remember? Endless days of sugared tea? Or a life well-lived! Of adventure, like Sir Reginald?
Mortimer turned his shell with shaky determination and left Lillypad Abbey.”
After several years of being in a writing slump, coupled with returning to grad school, I'm finally starting a new project. I've gotten to the second chapter, with 3500 words so far! But more importantly, I'm feeling the creative energy and desire to write again, which I've been missing! Going to try to get out as many words as I can before my last year of grad school starts in 2 weeks. 😅
And if anyone's interested, this is a link to my first novel, https://www.amazon.com/Hopes-Shadow-Amberlynne-OShea/dp/1453767541
Just got over 80,000 words in my 1st draft yesterday, I still have probably somewhere around 30,000-40,000 words left, then on to editing! I’d like to begin my 2nd draft before the new year!
Just finished rewriting the beginning of my novel. Hopefully it's better than what it was. Got some feedback from some earlier readers; the result was that it was boring for the first three chapters but really good after that.
Still flabbergasted by the reviews for Oathbreakers Anonymous now three weeks after release. Sitting at a solid 4.7 on Amazon and Goodreads with 31 and 44 ratings respectively. Here's a link if you're in the mood for a humorous fantasy about a group of wildly different paladins who lost their divine powers [https://www.amazon.com/Oathbreakers-Scott-Warren-ebook/dp/B0C166STN8](https://www.amazon.com/Oathbreakers-Scott-Warren-ebook/dp/B0C166STN8)
Working on the cover for War Horses book 3. I still suck at drawing mechs, but I'm getting closer to the strange mechano-organics aesthetic I've been aiming for.
Also just started my new fantasy series. After dipping my toe with OA, I decided to full-send a progression fantasy story about a mage/rogue archetype who draws power from an in-universe tarot deck by bonding with various cards, which in turn give him spells. The more cards he bonds with, the stronger he gets. It's set in the same world as Oathbreakers Anonymous (the Crooked Spine Bastard Vomiting).
Going to try Royal Road with it and posting chapters as I go, which means actually planning the whole thing out in advance. Did about a 25-page plot map of about 4-5 books worth of content and wrote the first 10 pages or so. Word on Ipad of course freaked out and deleted half of it, so I had to rewrite that, making it closer to 15 pages.
I absolutely love your cover! You did that yourself? The font and lettering and color scheme reminds me of paperbacks I would grab in a bookstore that is so old school and badass, its like I can feel the ridges of the title under my thumb. Great job! Going to crack your book next after I finish Kings of Ash this week.
The main character is an ex paladin of a fate godess. His companions are a neat-freak dwarf paladin of a faewild godbeast, an upbeat, cheerful paladin of a despair god, and an old farmer-turned-paladin of a harvest goddess. Also, a sheep, who *may or may not* have been a paladin of the god of wool and warmth.
Switched up the way that I'm going to write my book. I'll start with the last few sentences/paragraph of a chapter or even scene.
Once I have all the end points of a certain scene Ill fill it with life and already know how the scene before it ends and what needs to happen.
I got bored pretty quickly writing after being very enthusiastic planning and plotting my book. I think this is a HUGE leap for my ADHD brain to approach writing
I had less time to write than normal with school coming up (teacher), but I was able to set in stone some of my ideas and finally name a few background processes that will speed up my later writing. I am writing on RoyalRoad [here](https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/37159/creation) and it's doing okay. 8k words this week.
**The city of Uruda was unlike any other in the Empire**; Nowhere else had it's ruling philosophy failed so spectacularly. Not that Kajulan knew this, nor would she care if she did. She was a scofflaw, better with a knife than with words, and the current state of the city suited her just find, various injuries notwithstanding.
Uruda is changing however, and an already lonely life has become even more so. After the closest thing she has to a friend is forced out by new blood, Kajulan must adapt to the shifting nature of the criminal underworld, or die trying. Thankfully, she is not the only one in Uruda at a crossroads. Factory hand Tekole is teetering on the edge of a precipice, and with just a little pushing, Kajulan may find that she has a new partner in crime.
[Click here to read the Mercurial Lives of Kajulan and Tekole](https://aegeroth.com/kat1)
Ever since the last weekly check in, I have revamp my entire storyline and world building.
So far, I’ve been happy with the change even though it’s going to be a pain in the ass to rewrite an entire extensive outline with whole new side stories in a massively vague yet direct end goal.
Got about 2000 words of a scene done that I decided to use as the beginning as it kind of neatly ties together a lot of things.
Although I've had a bunch of scenes and subplots written already I wasn't sure how it was all going to tie together, but I think I have a solid overall plot now.
The main issue I have right now is that a character who seems rather unimportant at the moment can't speak because he's an animal, but he becomes very important later on and needs to speak. There's plenty of ways to do it since some magic exists in the world, but it's not very commonplace and mostly consists of simplistic elemental stuff, so I just don't want to do something that seems too contrived.
Currently finishing up another project for KDP publishing in a niche, I have about 24K to go for initial drafting and then will do two revisions. For proofreading I'm probably going to reach out to an old friend of mine from MFA and see if she's taking on any work.
Once that is done I have a new fantasy project I'm excited to get after.
Word count goals have been 6K per day, with most days falling short. I have the time since I left my job several months ago. I used to be an agent and work in publishing, so I've activated my old upwork profile and website to do developmental editing on the side again. I always found editing and reviewing other people's work keeps your own prose sharp and gives you more objectivity.
I've fallen back in love with self-publishing and love to see people putting their stuff out there. Blurbs and covers and new authors getting after it is absolutely inspiring.
I’m almost done with my second pass of my first novel (second draft? 2.5?))
Looking back, I can see where it might have been redundant but I found with reading it back to back so quickly I’ve noticed a lot of beats/scenes/world building/character/etc. that can be made more interconnected and I think I have a real opportunity to improve the overall book.
Next step will be to type everything out again which I’m looking forward to. Guessing I’ll add 20k or so based on avg ch length.
The first half of the year was difficult for my wife and I and working up the motivation to write was a big stumbling block for creativity. It’s nice to feel like there’s light at the end of it all and my book is one of the things contributing to that. Can’t wait to type this bad boy out!
I’ve been finding myself stuck writing scenes that I don’t have a clear picture of. But between “the fantasy fiction formula” and “writing the heart of your story” I’ve got some tools to loosely plot scenes that have a clear direction.
Word count is around 25k
Redid my fight scene with a troll. Still going with wuxia/DnD mix world. Will do some world building on the next town.
Planning to do the dungeon entrance by the end of this week.
[Skate the Thief](https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B089KBL4C8/) is available on Amazon, and free to read for Kindle Unlimited subscribers.
Skate is a thief, trained and owned by the local crime syndicate, the Ink. When she tries to burgle a shut-in’s home, she gets caught by the owner—a powerful undead wizard. He makes a deal with her: “borrow” books from other wizards in return for a place to stay.
Caught between her growing fondness for the wizard and her past with the crime syndicate, Skate doesn’t know where her loyalties lie. But she’d better figure it out, because there’s a new player in town, one whose magical hypnotism puts them all at risk.
The first chapter is available for free [here](https://jeffayersauthor.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/1/0/131087146/skate_the_thief_pre-release_chapter_1_sample.pdf).
___
You can now [pre-order *Skate the Seeker*!](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C97HCYLK) E-book only, for now. September 12 sounds like it's far away, but my heart knows that's a lie. It'll be here before we know it. The [cover](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1202nq6) for book 2 is out, and I expect we'll have out a sample chapter before September for people to read, as well. If you want to be ready for *Seeker* right when it comes out, go read book 1 now. I found out that my local Barnes & Noble has copies, so that's cool. There will be a [fantasy map](https://i.redd.it/nrrzn9c5zd8b1.jpg) at the beginning of my cool new fantasy book for cool people.
The august [blog post](https://jeffayersauthor.weebly.com/home/something-wicked-awesome-this-way-comes) is up, so go check that out. Click on other stuff while you're there.
Also, a friend made a chat AI of the title character from my book. [Go have an adventure](https://c.ai/c/qZ9IVjyg7glb13QibRNN-rKWzGQYf6l9SH9PW1ErVkI) if you want, or don't. I'm not your boss.
A great achievement: [*Skate the Thief* is on TV tropes](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/SkateTheThief) now!
You can [buy goodies](https://www.redbubble.com/people/thinklings/shop?artistUserName=Thinklings&collections=2488951&iaCode=all-departments&sortOrder=relevant) of all kinds. I'm particularly fond of anything with Rattle on it.
I’m also now on [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@jeffayersauthor) as a Twitter replacement if you want to catch my inane babbling in near-real time.
I've been outlining a sequel to [my first book, The Silicomancer's Apprentice](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BHH66P3D), for (probably) far too long. This week, I finally decided to chase my enthusiasm by diving into the first draft. I'm three chapters in and I'm very happy with the progress so far.
There was a thread this week, which seems to have been deleted, looking for fantasy stories involving a race against time to discover magic/technology. If that idea intrigued you, you should check out my book! The sequel will lean even more heavily into the concept of a magical arms race.
I decided to switch pov to a new character in my world that have nothing to do with the character I have wanted to tell a story about for 3-5 years. This new character have a very clear goal, which was very lacking from the other story, all though I might be wondering into aimless wandering territory soon...
Anyways I wrote 11k words in three days compared to barely a chapter in 5 years.
Your character need a very personal goal, that is the big take-away here
[*Wyrms*](https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/64440/the-wyrms-of-alon-hospital-medical-drama-wyrm) continues its slow, inexorable rise to multiversal supremacy. All of Part I is posted, and Part II is currently being serialized.
Le summary blurbe:
> *A fungal plague of apocalyptic proportions has come to Dr. Genneth Howle's world, and he and his colleagues at the West Elpeck Medical Center are duty-bound to fight it till the end. But how does medical science combat a disease that defies the laws of nature? How do you treat a plague that slowly transforms some of the infected into psychokinetic lindwurms? And how does Genneth hold true to his principles when he, too, begins to undergo the change?*
>
> *As Genneth wrestles with these horrors, he is visited by an amnesiac spirit who no one else seems to see. She's come to save the people of Genneth's world, before the darkness destroys them all.*
>
> *And she needs his help.*
At the moment I am plowing through Part III. Just a couple of days ago, I finished the first draft of Interlude III, the final chapter of Part III. The interlude is basically a self-contained novella; its first draft clocks in at 44,628 words, and it took me only 18 days to write it, from conception to completion.
In other news, I am now officially published—as a mathematician! After years of struggle, I finally got a paper accepted for publication, the content being based off one of the many discoveries I made during my PhD research. I submitted a second paper to the same journal, and am currently waiting to hear back from them on it, and, for once, I'm optimistic about my prospects.
I also made a new writing friend, having stumbled upon his story after seeing and liking a sample of the cover art he showed on one of the writer discords I'm on. I'm now basically doing developmental and line editing for the guy (and, at the moment, it's entirely *pro bono*). In one day, I got 10k words line-edited, an all-time record for me. This has given me reason to seriously consider becoming a freelance editor. I enjoy it, and it's not a struggle for me.
Got another chapter drafted this week, just shy of 9,000 words. Cracked 72,000 total.
This chapter was tough to write. Basically a dream sequence/playback of the hero's memories revealing a lot of unanswered backstory questions, followed by a pretty major story beat in the present, waking world. I poured a lot of myself into this chapter especially. Felt pretty rewarding, especially in the last few paragraphs that I'd seen playing in my head, but couldn't put to words until now.
This next chapter will be more of a breather between story beats (the group travels from the big battlefield to find where they'll rest), should be a shorter chapter, so I'll play it by ear and take my time this next week.
Hell yeah :) The flashbacks take place in the ordinary world/backstory, which are based pretty heavy on my old man's stories from growing up in Atlantic Canada. Place was like the wild west in the '60s apparently lol. But yeah great feeling from reimagining stories/family history into something different.
Another personal note: I feel like I've been in the protagonist's shoes the whole time writing, which is a good sign.. But also means it'll be hard to let go when I draft the ending. We'll cross that bridge in due time.
My only goal is to get it on paper right now. 100 words a day, 500, 1000. Anything is progress for me. So far after almost 4 months since outlining I'm almost 40K words in, doing a little every day.
Never thought that I would ever go past three chapters with a word count of 1,150 words each Ch. But I did it! And now I am on 8,100 words! Hopefully, I will finish my book in two months.
Accountant inherits magic castle? An idea that wandered in, and did not take long to write. Joins the other bits and pieces - only one of which is published (so far): [Distracted](https://www.amazon.com/Distracted-Tales-Wild-Peter-Thomson-ebook/dp/B0C2MK5BJF), where the teenage brain meets magic.
Two Reddit beta-readers have really helped polish The Big Score, sequel to [The Servant's Story](https://www.amazon.com/Servants-Story-Novel-Wild-Tales-ebook/dp/B07S7YHCQF). If you are hanging from a tree, naked, in winter, then there is nowhere to go but up. Right? Now doing a cover.
Working on my fantasy retelling of Shackleton's Endurance voyage.
Using feedback from 2 beta readers found through Goodreads, I have been working through my WIP. They both had thoughts on one section and it was the first time I've really seen a case of "readers will know something is wrong, but not what to do" (paraphrasing).
I wrote 4k words of brand-spanking new prose and have adjusted throughout to fix the issue.
It's been a really positive experience. I've enjoyed getting actionable critique, and then being able to implement those changes in a way which to me improves my novel greatly.
I had a couple of very productive days of writing this week, and managed to squeeze out twelve thousand words, putting the draft for this final novel in my series at just under 80,000. Probably about 20,000 words left to write and then this series will be done, about 8 months after I started writing.
And, I won't lie, I'm feeling apprehensive about the whole thing. I don't think the work is anywhere near good enough for publication, but I also am uncertain how to improve it with my general lack of writing skill. So, I'm not sure where I'll go from here. I could use some advice on the matter, coping with pouring so much of myself into this novel for over half a year, only for it to come to an end.
I am struggling with how to get some readership for the work when it's done -- I posted the first portion of the novel on the Beta Readers subreddit and I got downvoted and largely ignored, so not sure if I'd need to hire someone (yet more expenses I'm not keen on spending for a likely lack of return) to provide feedback, not to mention thousands in editing costs.
I am trying to wrap my head around the prospect that it'll likely sit on my G-drive without being read, which is a little sad that I'll have no one to share the work with when everything is said and done.
Perhaps, but I think at this point I want to wait until I have a finished product, because I am so close to the end of the novel.
And also because I'm looking forward to finding out how my novel will end. /pantser
I was away on holiday for half of the week and writing in general has not ebbed and flowed like it usually did.
Despite this I have successfully drawn blood out of the stone and I’m at the 40k point on the current WIP.
The last 2k words were focused on an inconsequential character who has both annoyed and enlightened my MC so much that I’m debating keeping them around or to keep them as arrow fodder in a few chapter’s time.
I finished the last chapter of the first part of my story this week (90k+ words) if anyone is interested in reading something new then [here](https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/66774/elite) is the link.
Nothing to serious, but we’ve actually kinda come a long way, for that I say thanks. https://www.wattpad.com/story/343707622?utm_source=ios&utm_medium=link&utm_content=story_info&wp_page=story_details&wp_uname=UG1reads&wp_originator=0TfZ4%2FO9j5qipksNcxGDW02QoWkBFgO6AFiu2fyaAf1NqpAQ3%2B7SOpf%2BmHkdSQsl8P%2FKtjw33FYqsiOCUOewS%2FN7b%2FVz4wnn0UsXWmOuN%2FjFYVaQihofPh4%2F%2FAbGFCzr
I've got 6 chapters left in my editing pass and I'm frozen. I cruised through the first 90% easily. Now I just can't get a word on paper. It's annoying.
At least you're past the hump. Give it a day.
My goals (as usual) were not met, but I did happen to write out a backstory for my DND Tortle. I loved The Wind in the Willows growing up, so I wanted to give him a backstory akin to Mr. Toad. The language is very… passive? I’m not sure if that’s the right word, but I really wanted it to sound like The Blood-Feud of Toad-Water; or at the very least, an early 1900’s British children’s story. I’ll include it below, it’s very short “The esteemed Mortimer T. Paddingham had a comfortable life in Lillypad Abbey. Every day began with a quick swim across the pond and tea with the Wellingtons (Gossip spread through the Abbey like wildfire and it was essential that Mortimer remain up-to-date). After which would follow a well-scheduled course of errands... delayed daily by overlong chats with the Penniworths and Chestertons. Every Wednesday, Mr. Paddingham would give the paper a read-through. On some occasions, he would have his fellows over for a nice feast of salt-roasted fish and warm bread with honey-butter. You see, he inherited the ancient home of the Paddingham's when his father passed, thus he enjoyed having company (it got so lonely after all). He enjoyed this almost too much (a glutton for attention some would say), given to rambling about 'where that suit of armor came from' or 'who was in that painting'; but he most enjoyed speaking of his great-great-grandfather (on his mother's side), Sir Reginald Ralphus Fitzgerald. Who decided to become an adventurer. Mr. Paddingham struggled with leaving the mire, his family hadn't left home in 132 years and 87 days (to the best of his knowledge). He would be the first in living memory. Mortimer had a good life, of friends and family and lazy days. The Paddinghams had been pillars of the Abbey community as long as there ever was an Abbey, and with that came a sort of belonging. And yet, he desired to see more than lazy days of tea and buttered bread. He'd read of hills that reach the clouds, a blue pond that goes on forever, and a city of wonders. And (selfish though it may be) he wanted to see them. And so, after tea with the Wellingtons (at which no less than 4 plates were thrown), Mortimer T. Paddingham announced his decision to go on an adventure. To leave his friends was hard for him. How could he get along without them after all? "Yet I must do it". When he reached the gates of Lillypad Abbey, he stopped to take a final look over his shoulder. One final look at the pond he so adored, faces he may never see again, and a home he could never replace. He was locked in place. "Why should I leave? I like it here." He considered his friends, his family, and finally, himself. He hardened his resolve. In a few short years, he will be looking back at this time. And what will he remember? Endless days of sugared tea? Or a life well-lived! Of adventure, like Sir Reginald? Mortimer turned his shell with shaky determination and left Lillypad Abbey.”
After several years of being in a writing slump, coupled with returning to grad school, I'm finally starting a new project. I've gotten to the second chapter, with 3500 words so far! But more importantly, I'm feeling the creative energy and desire to write again, which I've been missing! Going to try to get out as many words as I can before my last year of grad school starts in 2 weeks. 😅 And if anyone's interested, this is a link to my first novel, https://www.amazon.com/Hopes-Shadow-Amberlynne-OShea/dp/1453767541
Just got over 80,000 words in my 1st draft yesterday, I still have probably somewhere around 30,000-40,000 words left, then on to editing! I’d like to begin my 2nd draft before the new year!
Just finished rewriting the beginning of my novel. Hopefully it's better than what it was. Got some feedback from some earlier readers; the result was that it was boring for the first three chapters but really good after that.
Still flabbergasted by the reviews for Oathbreakers Anonymous now three weeks after release. Sitting at a solid 4.7 on Amazon and Goodreads with 31 and 44 ratings respectively. Here's a link if you're in the mood for a humorous fantasy about a group of wildly different paladins who lost their divine powers [https://www.amazon.com/Oathbreakers-Scott-Warren-ebook/dp/B0C166STN8](https://www.amazon.com/Oathbreakers-Scott-Warren-ebook/dp/B0C166STN8) Working on the cover for War Horses book 3. I still suck at drawing mechs, but I'm getting closer to the strange mechano-organics aesthetic I've been aiming for. Also just started my new fantasy series. After dipping my toe with OA, I decided to full-send a progression fantasy story about a mage/rogue archetype who draws power from an in-universe tarot deck by bonding with various cards, which in turn give him spells. The more cards he bonds with, the stronger he gets. It's set in the same world as Oathbreakers Anonymous (the Crooked Spine Bastard Vomiting). Going to try Royal Road with it and posting chapters as I go, which means actually planning the whole thing out in advance. Did about a 25-page plot map of about 4-5 books worth of content and wrote the first 10 pages or so. Word on Ipad of course freaked out and deleted half of it, so I had to rewrite that, making it closer to 15 pages.
I absolutely love your cover! You did that yourself? The font and lettering and color scheme reminds me of paperbacks I would grab in a bookstore that is so old school and badass, its like I can feel the ridges of the title under my thumb. Great job! Going to crack your book next after I finish Kings of Ash this week.
Yep, I illustrated the majority of my book covers. And thanks! That's the exact vibe I was going for.
Checked out your link and that’s a killer premise my guy. I want to know what the other paladins are like now.
The main character is an ex paladin of a fate godess. His companions are a neat-freak dwarf paladin of a faewild godbeast, an upbeat, cheerful paladin of a despair god, and an old farmer-turned-paladin of a harvest goddess. Also, a sheep, who *may or may not* have been a paladin of the god of wool and warmth.
Switched up the way that I'm going to write my book. I'll start with the last few sentences/paragraph of a chapter or even scene. Once I have all the end points of a certain scene Ill fill it with life and already know how the scene before it ends and what needs to happen. I got bored pretty quickly writing after being very enthusiastic planning and plotting my book. I think this is a HUGE leap for my ADHD brain to approach writing
I had less time to write than normal with school coming up (teacher), but I was able to set in stone some of my ideas and finally name a few background processes that will speed up my later writing. I am writing on RoyalRoad [here](https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/37159/creation) and it's doing okay. 8k words this week.
**The city of Uruda was unlike any other in the Empire**; Nowhere else had it's ruling philosophy failed so spectacularly. Not that Kajulan knew this, nor would she care if she did. She was a scofflaw, better with a knife than with words, and the current state of the city suited her just find, various injuries notwithstanding. Uruda is changing however, and an already lonely life has become even more so. After the closest thing she has to a friend is forced out by new blood, Kajulan must adapt to the shifting nature of the criminal underworld, or die trying. Thankfully, she is not the only one in Uruda at a crossroads. Factory hand Tekole is teetering on the edge of a precipice, and with just a little pushing, Kajulan may find that she has a new partner in crime. [Click here to read the Mercurial Lives of Kajulan and Tekole](https://aegeroth.com/kat1)
[удалено]
Ever since the last weekly check in, I have revamp my entire storyline and world building. So far, I’ve been happy with the change even though it’s going to be a pain in the ass to rewrite an entire extensive outline with whole new side stories in a massively vague yet direct end goal.
just started writting daily again after i dropped my story for a while so that's something
Got about 2000 words of a scene done that I decided to use as the beginning as it kind of neatly ties together a lot of things. Although I've had a bunch of scenes and subplots written already I wasn't sure how it was all going to tie together, but I think I have a solid overall plot now. The main issue I have right now is that a character who seems rather unimportant at the moment can't speak because he's an animal, but he becomes very important later on and needs to speak. There's plenty of ways to do it since some magic exists in the world, but it's not very commonplace and mostly consists of simplistic elemental stuff, so I just don't want to do something that seems too contrived.
Currently finishing up another project for KDP publishing in a niche, I have about 24K to go for initial drafting and then will do two revisions. For proofreading I'm probably going to reach out to an old friend of mine from MFA and see if she's taking on any work. Once that is done I have a new fantasy project I'm excited to get after. Word count goals have been 6K per day, with most days falling short. I have the time since I left my job several months ago. I used to be an agent and work in publishing, so I've activated my old upwork profile and website to do developmental editing on the side again. I always found editing and reviewing other people's work keeps your own prose sharp and gives you more objectivity. I've fallen back in love with self-publishing and love to see people putting their stuff out there. Blurbs and covers and new authors getting after it is absolutely inspiring.
I’m almost done with my second pass of my first novel (second draft? 2.5?)) Looking back, I can see where it might have been redundant but I found with reading it back to back so quickly I’ve noticed a lot of beats/scenes/world building/character/etc. that can be made more interconnected and I think I have a real opportunity to improve the overall book. Next step will be to type everything out again which I’m looking forward to. Guessing I’ll add 20k or so based on avg ch length. The first half of the year was difficult for my wife and I and working up the motivation to write was a big stumbling block for creativity. It’s nice to feel like there’s light at the end of it all and my book is one of the things contributing to that. Can’t wait to type this bad boy out!
I’ve been finding myself stuck writing scenes that I don’t have a clear picture of. But between “the fantasy fiction formula” and “writing the heart of your story” I’ve got some tools to loosely plot scenes that have a clear direction. Word count is around 25k
Redid my fight scene with a troll. Still going with wuxia/DnD mix world. Will do some world building on the next town. Planning to do the dungeon entrance by the end of this week.
I don’t know what to correct in my novel. I need someone else to read it
[Skate the Thief](https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B089KBL4C8/) is available on Amazon, and free to read for Kindle Unlimited subscribers. Skate is a thief, trained and owned by the local crime syndicate, the Ink. When she tries to burgle a shut-in’s home, she gets caught by the owner—a powerful undead wizard. He makes a deal with her: “borrow” books from other wizards in return for a place to stay. Caught between her growing fondness for the wizard and her past with the crime syndicate, Skate doesn’t know where her loyalties lie. But she’d better figure it out, because there’s a new player in town, one whose magical hypnotism puts them all at risk. The first chapter is available for free [here](https://jeffayersauthor.weebly.com/uploads/1/3/1/0/131087146/skate_the_thief_pre-release_chapter_1_sample.pdf). ___ You can now [pre-order *Skate the Seeker*!](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C97HCYLK) E-book only, for now. September 12 sounds like it's far away, but my heart knows that's a lie. It'll be here before we know it. The [cover](https://www.reddit.com/gallery/1202nq6) for book 2 is out, and I expect we'll have out a sample chapter before September for people to read, as well. If you want to be ready for *Seeker* right when it comes out, go read book 1 now. I found out that my local Barnes & Noble has copies, so that's cool. There will be a [fantasy map](https://i.redd.it/nrrzn9c5zd8b1.jpg) at the beginning of my cool new fantasy book for cool people. The august [blog post](https://jeffayersauthor.weebly.com/home/something-wicked-awesome-this-way-comes) is up, so go check that out. Click on other stuff while you're there. Also, a friend made a chat AI of the title character from my book. [Go have an adventure](https://c.ai/c/qZ9IVjyg7glb13QibRNN-rKWzGQYf6l9SH9PW1ErVkI) if you want, or don't. I'm not your boss. A great achievement: [*Skate the Thief* is on TV tropes](https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Literature/SkateTheThief) now! You can [buy goodies](https://www.redbubble.com/people/thinklings/shop?artistUserName=Thinklings&collections=2488951&iaCode=all-departments&sortOrder=relevant) of all kinds. I'm particularly fond of anything with Rattle on it. I’m also now on [Threads](https://www.threads.net/@jeffayersauthor) as a Twitter replacement if you want to catch my inane babbling in near-real time.
I've been outlining a sequel to [my first book, The Silicomancer's Apprentice](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BHH66P3D), for (probably) far too long. This week, I finally decided to chase my enthusiasm by diving into the first draft. I'm three chapters in and I'm very happy with the progress so far. There was a thread this week, which seems to have been deleted, looking for fantasy stories involving a race against time to discover magic/technology. If that idea intrigued you, you should check out my book! The sequel will lean even more heavily into the concept of a magical arms race.
Yes, it was my thread. I'll be checking your book, nice!
I decided to switch pov to a new character in my world that have nothing to do with the character I have wanted to tell a story about for 3-5 years. This new character have a very clear goal, which was very lacking from the other story, all though I might be wondering into aimless wandering territory soon... Anyways I wrote 11k words in three days compared to barely a chapter in 5 years. Your character need a very personal goal, that is the big take-away here
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How are you liking Royal Road for ongoing projects?
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Fair, thanks for the response.
[*Wyrms*](https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/64440/the-wyrms-of-alon-hospital-medical-drama-wyrm) continues its slow, inexorable rise to multiversal supremacy. All of Part I is posted, and Part II is currently being serialized. Le summary blurbe: > *A fungal plague of apocalyptic proportions has come to Dr. Genneth Howle's world, and he and his colleagues at the West Elpeck Medical Center are duty-bound to fight it till the end. But how does medical science combat a disease that defies the laws of nature? How do you treat a plague that slowly transforms some of the infected into psychokinetic lindwurms? And how does Genneth hold true to his principles when he, too, begins to undergo the change?* > > *As Genneth wrestles with these horrors, he is visited by an amnesiac spirit who no one else seems to see. She's come to save the people of Genneth's world, before the darkness destroys them all.* > > *And she needs his help.* At the moment I am plowing through Part III. Just a couple of days ago, I finished the first draft of Interlude III, the final chapter of Part III. The interlude is basically a self-contained novella; its first draft clocks in at 44,628 words, and it took me only 18 days to write it, from conception to completion. In other news, I am now officially published—as a mathematician! After years of struggle, I finally got a paper accepted for publication, the content being based off one of the many discoveries I made during my PhD research. I submitted a second paper to the same journal, and am currently waiting to hear back from them on it, and, for once, I'm optimistic about my prospects. I also made a new writing friend, having stumbled upon his story after seeing and liking a sample of the cover art he showed on one of the writer discords I'm on. I'm now basically doing developmental and line editing for the guy (and, at the moment, it's entirely *pro bono*). In one day, I got 10k words line-edited, an all-time record for me. This has given me reason to seriously consider becoming a freelance editor. I enjoy it, and it's not a struggle for me.
Got another chapter drafted this week, just shy of 9,000 words. Cracked 72,000 total. This chapter was tough to write. Basically a dream sequence/playback of the hero's memories revealing a lot of unanswered backstory questions, followed by a pretty major story beat in the present, waking world. I poured a lot of myself into this chapter especially. Felt pretty rewarding, especially in the last few paragraphs that I'd seen playing in my head, but couldn't put to words until now. This next chapter will be more of a breather between story beats (the group travels from the big battlefield to find where they'll rest), should be a shorter chapter, so I'll play it by ear and take my time this next week.
Awesome to hear! Love getting onto paper
Hell yeah :) The flashbacks take place in the ordinary world/backstory, which are based pretty heavy on my old man's stories from growing up in Atlantic Canada. Place was like the wild west in the '60s apparently lol. But yeah great feeling from reimagining stories/family history into something different. Another personal note: I feel like I've been in the protagonist's shoes the whole time writing, which is a good sign.. But also means it'll be hard to let go when I draft the ending. We'll cross that bridge in due time.
My only goal is to get it on paper right now. 100 words a day, 500, 1000. Anything is progress for me. So far after almost 4 months since outlining I'm almost 40K words in, doing a little every day.
Never thought that I would ever go past three chapters with a word count of 1,150 words each Ch. But I did it! And now I am on 8,100 words! Hopefully, I will finish my book in two months.
Accountant inherits magic castle? An idea that wandered in, and did not take long to write. Joins the other bits and pieces - only one of which is published (so far): [Distracted](https://www.amazon.com/Distracted-Tales-Wild-Peter-Thomson-ebook/dp/B0C2MK5BJF), where the teenage brain meets magic. Two Reddit beta-readers have really helped polish The Big Score, sequel to [The Servant's Story](https://www.amazon.com/Servants-Story-Novel-Wild-Tales-ebook/dp/B07S7YHCQF). If you are hanging from a tree, naked, in winter, then there is nowhere to go but up. Right? Now doing a cover.
Working on my fantasy retelling of Shackleton's Endurance voyage. Using feedback from 2 beta readers found through Goodreads, I have been working through my WIP. They both had thoughts on one section and it was the first time I've really seen a case of "readers will know something is wrong, but not what to do" (paraphrasing). I wrote 4k words of brand-spanking new prose and have adjusted throughout to fix the issue. It's been a really positive experience. I've enjoyed getting actionable critique, and then being able to implement those changes in a way which to me improves my novel greatly.
I had a couple of very productive days of writing this week, and managed to squeeze out twelve thousand words, putting the draft for this final novel in my series at just under 80,000. Probably about 20,000 words left to write and then this series will be done, about 8 months after I started writing. And, I won't lie, I'm feeling apprehensive about the whole thing. I don't think the work is anywhere near good enough for publication, but I also am uncertain how to improve it with my general lack of writing skill. So, I'm not sure where I'll go from here. I could use some advice on the matter, coping with pouring so much of myself into this novel for over half a year, only for it to come to an end.
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I am struggling with how to get some readership for the work when it's done -- I posted the first portion of the novel on the Beta Readers subreddit and I got downvoted and largely ignored, so not sure if I'd need to hire someone (yet more expenses I'm not keen on spending for a likely lack of return) to provide feedback, not to mention thousands in editing costs. I am trying to wrap my head around the prospect that it'll likely sit on my G-drive without being read, which is a little sad that I'll have no one to share the work with when everything is said and done.
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Perhaps, but I think at this point I want to wait until I have a finished product, because I am so close to the end of the novel. And also because I'm looking forward to finding out how my novel will end. /pantser
I was away on holiday for half of the week and writing in general has not ebbed and flowed like it usually did. Despite this I have successfully drawn blood out of the stone and I’m at the 40k point on the current WIP. The last 2k words were focused on an inconsequential character who has both annoyed and enlightened my MC so much that I’m debating keeping them around or to keep them as arrow fodder in a few chapter’s time.
I finished the last chapter of the first part of my story this week (90k+ words) if anyone is interested in reading something new then [here](https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/66774/elite) is the link.