My regular update on my novel writing progress, including insight into living and working as an indie author with a full-time job and Crohn’s disease.
my_writing_week
Previously on WWW…
I had the realisation that my completionist habit has been delaying my work on the series bible. I don’t like leaving things half-finished, and tend not to start something if I know I won’t have enough time to finish it (or, if it’s something I don’t want to do, I won’t start if there’s even a small chance I might not finish it).
If I can hobble my completionist tendency, I might get more done. That would be nice.
This week, I ignored my instinct not to begin something if I wouldn’t have time to finish it, and I got more done. Even towering intellects like mine can find room for improvement from time to time.
This new outlook wasn’t tested on Sunday, because I had the day free anyway. I added a chapter from The Spike Volume 1 to the series bible; I tweaked my bio one last time; and I wrote more for a blog post I intend to publish next week.
On Monday, I added another chapter to the series bible — in two shifts! I started it during my lunch break, knowing I wouldn’t have time to complete it, and finished it in the evening. Whoop, and indeed, whoop.
Also, finally, I published my bio page, which you can read here if you really want to. I researched what other authors post on their bios, and made mine a little different. That probably tells you more about me than the bio, to be honest…
Tuesday, I edited the blog post I intend to publish next week, and added two(!) more chapters to the series bible — then another two(!!) chapters on Wednesday.
As usual in my Thursday lunch break, I began this WWW; in the evening, only one more chapter went into the series bible. I know, I know, I was slacking.
On Friday, I came down with the flu — impeccable timing for the Bank Holiday weekend — so I took it easy. I spent a bit of time investigating an idea for the second edition cover of The Spike Volume 1, wrote a bit more of this WWW in case I felt as bad as I expected to on Saturday, then realised there was more to add to the blog post I intend to post next week.
Today, Saturday, I’m feeling rough, so this WWW is all I’ll do. Hopefully I can banish the flu pronto and my progress isn’t blunted too much.
Reading this week: Blood Slaves (The Blood Saga #1) by Marcus Redmond
Watching this week: The Wire season 1 and Californication season 2
Playing this week: NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139
status_report
I’m still wavering on a new cover design for a second edition of The Spike Volume 1, and have begun work on a different idea. I think I’ve proven the concept — more work required.
I’m also working on covers for the two individual parts, 1.1_Application Infiltration and 1.2_Laying Down The Law, which are going to be published separately for the first time. I want both to have a similar style and layout, and I have an idea I like for each. The drafts I’ve created feel a little too minimalist, so I’m investigating what I can add that will make it more visually interesting without distracting from the main image.
Draft 2 of The Spike Volume 2 is complete! It contains three separate books from the perspectives of seven characters.
Revision will begin soon.
The aim is to publish Volume 2 in 2026.
Early brainstorming has been done for The Spike Volume 3. I know how it must begin; I have an ending that I think will be great; and I have a long list of ideas to get from one to the other that needs to be whittled down and put in an order. I’m not intending to do much more work on this until revision is complete on Volume 2.
There are a couple of other projects in the works that I’m not ready to share yet – they’ll be announced here first.
connecting_links
The Spike is set in our world, incorporating real events; the links below are relevant to the themes and overarching storyline, and may or may not provide clues to the direction of the series.
I do not necessarily agree with or endorse any of the views within.
‘A climate of unparalleled malevolence’: are we on our way to the sixth major mass extinction?
UK drafts AI to help Joe Public decipher its own baffling bureaucracy
State-of-the-art quantum computer switched on
Hundreds of thousands of Grok chats exposed in Google results
Forget Netflix, Volkswagen locks horsepower behind paid subscription
Microsoft boss troubled by rise in reports of ‘AI psychosis’
weekly_inspiration
Every week I share something that’s inspired my creativity.
This week, I rewatched “Meeting People is Easy”, the 1998 documentary following Radiohead around on their tour of OK Computer.
They don’t shy away from showing the hard stuff as they average one show every three days over a nine month period, with all the travelling and interviews and photoshoots and media attention that goes with it. If you ever wondered why they took a hard left turn into Kid A, their struggles to deal with the expectation here are your answer.
This clip features a soundcheck performance of a song that didn’t get a release until the 20th anniversary edition of OK Computer, plus snippets from interviews and photoshoots that give a sense of what it was like.
Fame looks horrid.
What’s inspired you this week? Please share in the comments.
See you next week.
Arrowmaker Books 