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’m not prepared to wait to feel better. Next week, I’m aiming to double the time spent on my writing compared to the past seven days. The last time I did that much was my week off from the day job in June.
Wish me luck.
I don’t know why I bother setting targets. Something always seems to happen to get in the way.
This week, my home internet has been down. From when I got up Sunday morning, I had no connection at all; it took until Friday evening until I had a very patchy connection, and it’s still bad.
I’m writing this from my day job’s office. Having needed to forego my two days working from home, I didn’t really want to spend a sixth consecutive day in the office, but here I am on a Saturday. At least I’m working on my own stuff, and not the company’s.
So, without a home connection to my cloud saved files, I didn’t want to update them and risk losing my changes. I could have created copies, but I used it as an excuse to start something new.
On Sunday, I began writing the prologue for The Spike Volume 3. I know the main points that need to happen in the prologue, but I’m not yet sure how much to recap from the previous volume, so this is very much an early “zero” draft. I quite like what I’ve got so far though.
I wrote a little more of it on Monday, but most of Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday was spent writing a blog post that I’ve now shelved. I’m not sure whether rewrites can save it or not; I’ll let it sit for a while before making a decision.
In addition to that blog post, on Tuesday, I added one more chapter to The Spike series bible whilst I was in the office. That’s the one project that’s been impacted the most by my lack of internet access.
Thursday and Friday, I continued work on a different blog post, which I might post next week.
And that brings us up to now and this WWW.
I obviously missed my aim by a considerable and frustrating margin.
I’m wary of setting any targets for the week ahead now, not just because I don’t know when my home internet will be working properly, but also because it feels like I’d be tweaking the nipples of fate.
I’m not going to mention that I’ve got a week off from the day job in two weeks, and I want the series bible done by then so I can spend the time beginning Volume 2 revisions. To say anything about it would be asking for trouble.
Reading this week: Moby-Dick by Herman Melville
Watching this week: The Wire season 2 (rewatch) and Californication season 6 (rewatch)
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.
Blair’s ID cards failed in the 2000s – could Starmer’s version fare better?
NASA announces “groundbreaking discovery” of life on Mars
Why OpenAI’s solution to AI hallucinations would kill ChatGPT tomorrow
Donald Trump’s vision for Gaza’s future: what a leaked plan tells us about US regional strategy
Google unveils master plan for letting AI shop on your behalf
weekly_inspiration
Every week I share something that’s inspired my creativity.
This week, without my home internet connection, I was a little limited with my normal entertainment options. Fortunately, I haven’t fully bought into the streaming services and ensure I have DVDs or Blu-rays of the films and TV shows I know I’d want to watch in future; I don’t trust that all these films and shows will always be available online.
So, I finished rewatching season 1 of “The Wire” on Blu-ray. There’s a reason this show is rated so highly – it’s top quality in all aspects. I’ve moved onto season 2, which I also watched previously a long time ago, but I haven’t seen the whole run yet.
What’s inspired you this week? Please share in the comments.
See you next week.
Arrowmaker Books 