My regular spoiler-free 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…
For the week ahead, I want to spend most of my writing time on revising The Spike Volume 2. And, when my brain pleads for mercy from wording words, I plan to continue with the cover for the second edition of The Spike Volume 1.
It’s been another week where I haven’t felt well, with a head cold and a headache, so focussing on my writing has been harder than reading a quantum theory textbook in a room full of toddlers.
Despite that, I’ve made some progress.
On Sunday, I worked on the cover for the second edition of The Spike Volume 1, making a couple of aborted efforts at the background that’s a core part of the image. I expected to find it difficult; I was trying out a technique I hadn’t used before so needed to practice. My subconscious has since suggested how I could do it better, so I’ll try that out next time I work on it.
Also on Sunday, I finished writing my latest hybrid short story/blogpost which was published on Tuesday: people should be allowed to hate Christmas, a long-winded way of writing “bah humbug”.
Other than that post, the rest of my writing time on Monday through to Thursday was spent on draft 3 of The Spike Volume 2. I finally completed the new chapter 0.2.1.11, and I’m still concerned it’s too long; I may split it in two, but there isn’t an obviously sensible place to do that. That’s a problem for future me to sort out and I wish him luck.
I continued on and revised a couple of other chapters which only required smaller changes. The next chapter to do, 0.2.1.14, will need extensive rewrites as I’ve got a number of improvements I want to make to it.
By the end of the week, I didn’t feel up to tackling that chapter, partly because I hadn’t been well, and partly because the day job had been rough, with so much to do before taking a break for the next week.
I have plans for the Monday of my holiday, but nothing else in the diary for the rest of the week, so decided to rest for the weekend.
Friday evening, I began this WWW; then I spent some time looking for a different reference image for the section of the Volume 1 2nd ed cover I’d struggled with the previous Sunday, realising the one I’d been using didn’t quite work.
On Saturday, I had another go at that section of the Volume 1 2nd ed cover, using the new reference image, and I’m happy with the result. I may tweak it slightly, but it’s a good basis to build on.
And finally, I finished and posted this WWW.
My creativity vs consumption percentage this week was the same as last week at 46%. It would be nice to bump that above 50%, but even if it stays similar, with no day job to steal most of my time, I’m hoping to report back next weekend that I made good progress on Volume 2 draft 3 and the cover for Volume 1 2nd ed.
I’ve been looking forward to this week off since the last one ended; it’s such a relief to finally get here!
Reading this week: Alchemised by SenLinYu
Watching this week: The Wire season 3 (rewatch) and season 4, and Atlanta season 1
Playing this week: NieR Replicant ver.1.22474487139 and Red Dead Redemption 2
status_report
In addition to the three short stories available to read for free here, there are three more yet to be published that make up The Spike Volume 0. The new three are in the final stages, and will be available some time before Volume 2 is published.
Work continues on a new cover design for a second edition of The Spike Volume 1.
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 3 is under way for The Spike Volume 2! I’d tentatively like to finish revisions by the end of 2025.
Volume 2 is my biggest, most complex project to date, containing three separate books from the perspectives of seven characters.
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 jailed hacking kingpin reveals all about the gang that left a trail of destruction
A mathematical ceiling limits generative AI to amateur-level creativity
AI is actually bad at math, ORCA shows
Rhyme is the key to set AIs free when verse outsmarts security
weekly_inspiration
Every week I share something that’s inspired my creativity.
This week, I’ve been varying the music I listen to whilst working. When writing, I listen to music without lyrics so the words going into my brain don’t muddle with those I’m trying to extract. When I’m working on a cover design, I’m not bothered about lyrics, and one of the bands I’ve returned to is the imaginative The Divine Comedy.
I enjoy quite a lot of their songs, but Tonight We Fly has always been one of my favourites. It closes both of their “best of…” collections, which signifies its stature in their catalogue.
This performance is from the Palladium, London, in 2003.
What’s inspired you this week? Please share in the comments.
See you next week.
Arrowmaker Books 