An indie author’s regular spoiler-free update on his writing, editing, cover design, marketing, publishing, website maintenance, and blogging. Issue 85.
This week in one word: variety.
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Previously on WWW…
Over the next seven days, I’ll post my review of Wolf Worm by T Kingfisher and my next blogpost (it needs a few finishing touches but I think it’s one of the most interesting concepts I’ve had).
I’m pausing work on the cover design for The Spike Volume 1 second edition, but need to work on covers for its two parts, 1.1_Application Infiltration and 1.2_Laying Down The Law, that will be getting individual releases for the first time. I’ve locked down the concept for each, now I need to create the final designs.
I’ll also continue revising part 3 of The Spike Volume 2, beginning with the new chapter 0.2.3.13.Hopefully the heat and my Crohn’s ease off.
The heat has eased off a little, but my Crohn’s hasn’t. Still, it’s been a pretty productive week.
I began work on the final cover design for The Spike 1.1_Application Infiltration. I had already made a rough mock-up but now I’m creating the actual image. The two individual parts, 1.1 and 1.2, have a deliberately different concept from the cover of their compilation, Volume 1, so that they stand apart. Because of that, they should take less time to create, but cover designs always take me longer than I wish they would.
Revisions continued on The Spike Volume 2, and I added the new chapter 0.2.3.13 that I mentioned in last week’s WWW. It’s a little lengthy and I’m concerned it’s too much of an info-dump. I tried to mitigate that by escalating the tension throughout; I’ll put it aside until I’ve finished this pass of revisions and time will tell if that was sufficient.
I’m also concerned the new chapter may be too similar to an earlier scene, but both need to happen for the story. If I decide that is a problem, I’ll either need to find an alternative way to do one of them, or lean into it and use the repetition with slight variances to demonstrate the similarities and differences of the characters involved.
I’ve added it to my list of revisions. It’s now a problem for future me to deal with. I’m sure he’ll thank me.
On Monday, I published my review of Wolf Worm by T Kingfisher. It’s a well-written if unspectacular mystery horror that I’m not disappointed I read.
And on Thursday, I published my latest blogpost, which Christopher Nolan movie would make the best novel? It merges two of my biggest interests so it was enjoyable to write, and when I got into it, I was a little surprised at some of those that would or wouldn’t work.
Today, I finished reading my 16th book of 2026, The Lost Man by Jane Harper. My review is scheduled for Monday, but if you want to know more now, see the weekly_inspiration section below.
My creativity vs consumption percentage has increased from 43% last week to 49%. I’d wanted to do better this week so it’s pleasing I got within 35 minutes of an even 50/50 split.
If I can maintain this level, at least for the next 3-4 weeks when the day job is still at its busiest, then I’ll be satisfied. After that, I can aim to push on.
For the week ahead, my review of The Lost Man by Jane Harper is scheduled to be published on Monday. Other than that, my twin priorities will be the cover for The Spike 1.1_Application Infiltration, and revising The Spike Volume 2.
Reading this week: The Lost Man by Jane Harper and Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Watching this week: The Leftovers season 2
Playing this week: Red Dead Redemption 2
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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’m working on a new cover design for a second edition of The Spike Volume 1, with two different versions being developed in tandem whilst I decide which colour layout I prefer.
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.
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 finish 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 (that keeps growing) 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.
I have other project ideas that are on the backburner:
Project Lawless is a non-fiction book.
Project Fang is a fiction book that I’m still trying to work out a way to incorporate into The Spike.
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Every week I share something that’s inspired my creativity.
This week, as I wrote above, I finished my read of The Lost Man by Jane Harper.
The thing that struck me most about it was that every facet was pulling in the same direction. The plot, the characters, the location, and the writing style all feed into each other to make a cohesive whole, and that’s one of my definitions for good writing. It’s certainly something I aim to do.
My full review is scheduled to be posted on Monday.
What’s inspired you this week? Please share in the comments.
See you next week.
Arrowmaker Books 