An indie author’s regular spoiler-free update on his writing, editing, cover design, marketing, publishing, website maintenance, and blogging. Issue 61.
This week in one word: struggle.
my_writing_week
Previously on WWW…
My goals for the next seven days are to find a way forward for the cover for The Spike Volume 1 second edition, and to put back together the section of The Spike Volume 2 that I picked apart.
And, less of a goal and more of a hope, it would be nice if any further problems are less disruptive, please and thank you.
This week’s problems weren’t as big as last week’s, but the parents produced a profusion of progeny.
The first task I tackled this week was the new cover for The Spike Volume 1 second edition, and as I’ve been struggling with the same idea for a while, unable to make it work, I brainstormed other ideas. As I was about to type that I couldn’t find an image concept that successfully put across the themes of the book, I had a thought how I could combine three different ideas together.
I’ve just sketched a (very) rough outline of it, and it might work. I’ll put more thought into it and report back next week.
Also on Sunday, I finished reading Strange Pictures by Uketsu, which is… strange. If it was sold as a puzzle book, I think I’d have been satisfied enough with it, but it’s being sold as a novel. I continued with my plan of writing a review of every book I read this year, and posted my Strange Pictures review on Monday.
I thought it would be a good idea to have a single list of all my book reviews which I’ll keep up to date, and that went live on Monday too.
From Tuesday, I returned my focus to revising The Spike Volume 2 and resolving the problems I found last week. The fix that I came up with just before writing the last WWW is broadly still the same, but there have been several tweaks and refinements to make all the puzzle pieces fit together. Most of my writing time has been spent on the new chapter 0.2.1.44, which expanded to include a new location and a couple of new minor characters, all extra work that takes too much time.
Whenever I create new locations or characters, there needs to be something uniquely interesting or entertaining about them. Plus, I always keep in mind they might be useful again in the future – you never know when a future story may need a police forensics specialist, for example.
As I write this, I still haven’t completed chapter 0.2.1.44, but I am nearing the end of it; new chapter 0.2.1.47 needs to achieve a couple of tasks but I haven’t yet sculpted it into an actual scene; plus chapter 0.2.1.50 needs to be rewritten (at least partially).
And all that is before I get back to where I was before I found the problem. Phew.
Finally this week, today (Saturday), I made small changes to a couple of pages on my website, for The Spike Volume 0 and my homepage. The temptation is still there to do a major refresh, but it makes more sense to do that when I begin my publication schedule and tie the art style in with the new book covers.
My creativity vs consumption percentage for this week is 54%, equalling my best since records began. Two weeks in a row above the 50/50 split is satisfying; I aim to make it three.
Speaking of aims, next week’s goals are the same as this week’s: make progress on the cover for The Spike Volume 1 second edition; and continue revising The Spike Volume 2.
I expect to finish reading The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood in the next few days, so I’ll be writing a review of that too.
Reading this week: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
Watching this week: The Wire season 5 and Colin from Accounts season 1
Playing this week: Red Dead Redemption 2 and Baba Is You
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 April 2026.
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.
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.
Number of people in ‘very deep poverty’ at highest level in more than 30 years, charity warns
AI-induced cultural stagnation is no longer speculation − it’s already happening
These humanoid robots can only work half as fast as humans, but factories are buying them anyway
weekly_inspiration
Every week I share something that’s inspired my creativity.
This week, I’ve returned to listening to Björk’s 2001 album, Vespertine, a very icy, wintery record. It’s centred around the idea of “taking something very tiny and magnifying it up to big”, using sounds such as crushing ice and shuffling cards. This anecdote from one of the producers is brilliant:
“I think the hardest request she had was… she wanted to get the sound of little buds on a branch of a pussywillow bursting open. It’s a brilliant idea. We couldn’t get anyone to take us seriously. We called all these nature conservancies and natural recording societies. No one ever called us back.”
The final track of the album, Unison, is one of my favourites, beginning gently and ending with her belting like only she can.
What’s inspired you this week? Please share in the comments.
See you next week.
Arrowmaker Books 