|
|
Hello and happy August everyone! I've added a new and exciting segment to my newsletter: "A Writing Journey: When Shadows Fall". This section will detail my general writing process, specifically covering my experience writing When Shadows Fall. The journey will be divided into roughly ten parts, which will be shared one per newsletter as we count down to the release of When Shadows Fall. From conception to publication, there are so many steps that go into writing a novel, and I am excited to share them with you! This month, we will start where all books start: with the idea. You can check out part one below, along with my writing and art updates and my goals for August. As always, bonus kitty pictures for those who make it to the end! |
|
|
Thanks to a lengthy non-writing project, the arrival of my sweet nephew, and a lovely visit with my precious niece, July was not quite the productive month I was hoping it would be!
That being said, I still got a lot done. Though I didn't achieve my goal of 5000 words a day for the When Shadows Fall sequel, I got the manuscript up to 80K words and spent a good chunk of time brainstorming and outlining.
I also received feedback from my last beta-reader for When Shadows Fall. I spent several hours making changes based on her suggestions, and several more hours researching and reaching out to editors.
It was a lengthy process, but I am pleased to announce I have officially hired a professional editor, who will copyedit and later proofread my book! The copyedits should be done by the end of September, and the proofread, which will occur after I've made changes based on the edits, should take about two weeks to complete.
|
|
|
Although I've been gone for this first week of August on a camping trip, I expect my schedule will be less hectic now that I have returned. My plan is to use the rest of the month to focus on the sequel, now that I have an editor for When Shadows Fall.
There is still a lot of work to do on book two before I can hand it off to beta-readers, so I may not be done by the end of August. However, I should be able to finish it next month at the latest!
I also intend to start researching and reaching out to potential cover artists, as well as doing some more marketing work and prep on my next newsletter.
It will be another busy month, but I'm looking forward to it!
|
|
|
Every story starts with an idea. That idea can come from anywhere, and be anything. It may carry you straight into a first draft, or it may simmer on the back burner for a decade before it's finally ready to see the light.
For me, ideas come from many things; a wondering of ‘what would happen in a world like this?’ or ‘imagine if people could do that?’ or ‘wouldn’t it be cool if...’. Sometimes, I have a feeling or tone in mind for a story, or a specific trope I'd like to use. Other times, characters just arrive in my head, looking for a home.
The process is difficult to describe, because it is not always conscious. Often, it is a string of little thoughts and musings in the back of my mind, slowly banding together until they become "An Idea".
Once "An Idea" has formed, I’ll grab a computer or pen and paper and start jotting down notes. If I’m feeling inspired, I’ll start a new document, type Chapter One at the top, and write for as long as the inspiration lasts. I usually get anything from three paragraphs to three chapters before I run out of interest and ideas.
Then, it goes on the back burner of my mind, where I keep pondering it until I have enough ideas and inspiration to write a fully-fleshed novel.
|
|
In the case of When Shadows Fall, the initial inspiration was unusual for me. While in high school, I had a dream that I was in my creative writing class and we were given an assignment, in which we had to write a story using a random, made-up title. A classmate got the title “When Shadows Fall” and complained that he didn’t know what to do with it. I was shocked at his reaction, and told him it was a brilliant title. I proceeded to rattle off a premise for a story where the world takes on some terrifying change at night and the main character has to rescue someone using a road that only appears after sunset (when shadows fall).
When I woke up, I was impressed enough with the idea that I wrote down some notes, along with the first couple pages. Then I shelved the concept, opting to wait until I had enough ideas and inspiration to make a go of it. Though I did some brainstorming for it on and off in the following years, it wasn't until the summer of 2017 that it finally became "An Idea", thanks to the addition of a new world-building concept.
That concept was emotionry, a fantasy technology that would run on emotions. I instantly knew I had to use it in one of my stories, and When Shadows Fall turned out to be a perfect fit. Emotionry breathed life into what had been a dull and uninteresting world, and also paved the way for the exciting climax that had been sorely lacking from my original premise.
With that crucial piece of world-building added to the characters and plot I had already developed, the story was finally ready to be told...
|
Stay tuned for Part Two: Brainstorming, Slow Starts, and Partial Drafts |
Thanks to the busyness of summer and the focus on my writing goals, I had to skip a design this month. However, I did finish one chibi that I'm quite pleased with, and several variations on a succulent design, two of which have been added to my Redbubble store. 😊
|
|
|
Reading: I've finally read Skyward by Brandon Sanderson, and have just started on the sequel. It was lovely having a good old Sanderson book to enjoy on my camping trip, and I'm excited to see where the series leads!
Listening: I'm always on the look out for new tunes, and this month, I stumbled upon a number of anime covers by Studio Yuraki. My music tastes tend to be quite random, but my playlists typically include a lot of anime music, K-pop, soundtracks, and miscellaneous YouTube artists, so these new songs fit right in!
I've also discovered a "High Hopes" cover by Roll for It, which has turned into a bit of a theme tune for me as I pursue self-publishing. Lines like "didn't have a dime but I always had a vision" have certainly resonated with me!
|
|
|
If you are still here, may I offer you my sincerest thanks for your commitment to my newsletter, and a reward of TWO bonus kitty pictures!
My kitty has a habit of getting very snuggly and close when I'm trying to write. She also has a habit of getting annoyed with my hand flapping about on the keyboard, which makes concentrating somewhat difficult!
I've striven for creative solutions to this problem, which has mostly included bribing her off the couch with Temptations. Here are photos of my most recent attempt:
|
|
Use of a kitty barrier to protect my writing time. |
|
My kitty barrier failing... |
|
|
|
You received this email because you subscribed to our list. You can unsubscribe at any time.
|
#11 1305 23rd Avenue, Regina, Saskatchewan, S4S 3S4, Canada |
|
|
|
