An indie author’s regular spoiler-free update on his writing, editing, cover design, marketing, publishing, website maintenance, and blogging. Issue 63.
This week in one word: perspective.
my_writing_week
Previously on WWW…
…I have a break from the day job next week. I have plans for one or two of the days, but otherwise, I want to work on my writing a lot.
The plan is to focus on the new cover for The Spike Volume 1 second edition, but if I still have doubts about that, I’ll begin on covers for parts 1 and 2 (that I’ll be publishing separately for the first time). I have mock-ups – I need to put the time into creating the finished products.
Also, of course, I’ll continue revising The Spike Volume 2.
There are few things more blissful than a week off from the day job. And, for once, I spent a decent chunk of my holiday being productive.
About two-thirds of my writing hours this week were spent on the new cover for The Spike Volume 1 second edition, and progress has been faltering.
I began the week using a reference image that I planned to extend wider for the full front/spine/back of the cover. I spent a while trying to get it to look right, until I realised the perspective was off on the reference image – that wasn’t so noticeable on the original, but when I extended it out, it was exacerbated and looked unreal. Frustrating.
So, I started again from scratch. And from the initial sketch, I’m not convinced it will convey the message I want it to. It might be time to put this project aside for now and work on the covers for the two individual parts instead, both of which I have a firm plan for.
It’s easy to see this as time wasted, but ruling out a possibility is still progress.
The revisions of The Spike Volume 2 haven’t gone smoothly either.
I completed the rewrite of chapter 0.2.1.50 that I’d started the previous week, but as is often the case, when I went to bed, my subconscious mind interrupted my attempt to sleep by pointing out a plot hole. That meant a further (and hopefully final) rewrite of that chapter.
I continued on for a couple of easier chapters, then reached the other chapter impacted by this series of changes, and I’ve decided to shuffle things a little again, so chapter 0.2.1.54 will move back to be 0.2.1.51. I’ve begun outlining it.
As a result of these changes, I’m going to add another new chapter, 0.2.1.55, to give a more satisfying conclusion to a particular character’s arc (for this book, at least). This means involving another character – it can’t be the most obvious choice because they’re too heavily involved in another thread in part 2.
I made a list of all the characters it could be instead, then whittled it down. All but one were ruled out for good reasons, but I’m not keen on using that character for this scene either.
That’s when I considered adding a new character, and because I’m writing a series, whenever I do that, I give thought as to what future impact the newcomer could have. And I got excited.
The addition of this new character will add a lot of interest to Volume 3 and potentially beyond (I haven’t thought that far ahead for the newbie yet), and will add motivation and conflict for some of the characters I’m carrying forward.
So, before I add them to Volume 2, I need to work out roughly what I need them to be and do in Volume 3, so I can begin introducing those traits in chapter 0.2.1.55. Brainstorming new story ideas is one of my favourite parts of the whole writing process, so I’m looking forward to dipping into the early stage of Volume 3 again.
Outside of writing, I finished watching the complete boxset of The Wire. It’s top-tier television and I enjoyed it, but it doesn’t crack my top three. My rankings sometimes change with time, and it may move up, but it won’t challenge Mr Robot as my number one.
To get a bit of exercise, I went for a stroll and accidentally ended up in a bookshop. There was an exclusive edition of a book I’d been considering buying from there, so I bought that (*cough*and five others*cough*). I’m so clumsy.
Friday was my birthday, which I spent with family. A big THANK YOU to them for their hospitality and gifts, and to everyone else who sent their birthday wishes.
The “special” day was no excuse not to work though, and I wrote in the morning and evening, before and after I went out – my streak as of this WWW is 617 days.
I expected my creativity vs consumption percentage might drop from last week’s 49% because I usually take some of my holiday to rest, relax, and recuperate. And I did at the beginning, with not much done on the Sunday or Monday.
On this occasion, however, I made up for it during the rest of the week and finished on 55%, my best since records began, which I’m quietly chuffed about. Given so much of my time was my own, that 5% above the 50/50 worked out at four hours, for a total of twenty-two.
I like the idea of treating my writing like a day job during a holiday and working it as a nine-to-five, but I can’t get up that early when I don’t have to, and I normally have something planned for at least one of the weekdays.
I’m anticipating an unpleasant return to the day job and a probable drop in work rate for the coming week, but we’ll see how it goes.
My aims for the next seven days are: continue revisions of The Spike Volume 2; start the final cover design for either 1.1_Application Infiltration or 1.2_Laying Down The Law; and begin writing a new blog post.
I’m already looking forward to my next holiday in April.
Reading this week: Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
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.
I’ve paused work on a new cover design for a second edition of The Spike Volume 1 for now, as I can’t get a design I’m happy with.
I’m 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, but I have an idea 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!
Volume 2 is my biggest and 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.
AI chatbots pose ‘dangerous’ risk when giving medical advice, study suggests
Disturbing video shows humanoid robots preparing for border patrol duties in China
Microsoft boffins figured out how to break LLM safety guardrails with one simple prompt
Britain’s relentless rain shows climate predictions playing out as expected
Hollywood studios take aim at ‘ultra-realistic’ AI video tool
weekly_inspiration
Every week I share something that’s inspired my creativity.
This week, following on from The War On Drugs last week, is another song from my holiday playlist.
Arrows by Foo Fighters is my favourite track from their Concrete and Gold album, and always gets my blood pumping ready for a writing sesh. An underrated song in their catalogue.
What’s inspired you this week? Please share in the comments.
See you next week.
Arrowmaker Books 