An indie author’s regular spoiler-free update on his writing, editing, cover design, marketing, publishing, website maintenance, and blogging. Issue 86.
This week in one word: covered.
my_writing_week
Previously on WWW…
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.
I’m not out of the busiest spell at the day job yet – there’s still two weeks to go – but this week hasn’t been quite as bad, so I’ve wrangled my stress levels under control, which has settled down my Crohn’s. All good news.
Most of my writing time this week has been spent on cover design.
I began with the cover for The Spike 1.1_Application Infiltration, continuing from last week. All the necessary elements are now in place (the main image, the titles on the front and spine, a tagline, the back page blurb, a note re my website, and a blank space for the barcode) and I’m pleased with how it’s looking, except for one thing.
I had an idea for a piece of detail that I thought would make the subtitle stand out, but when zoomed out to how it would appear on a listing on a screen, it looks too messy and the words are indiscernible. It’s clear I need to do something different, so I’ve got a new plan. I haven’t begun work on it yet because I haven’t worked out exactly how to do it; instead I moved onto one of the other covers I need to do…
I had mocked up a cover for The Spike 1.2_Laying_Down_The_Law but it felt a little simplistic compared to the 1.1 cover. I returned to some of my previous ideas and spent a lot of time trying different compositions, and finally, just before beginning this WWW, I have a new arrangement that looks good. I’ll leave it overnight and see if I’m still as excited by it tomorrow, and if I am, I’ll begin work on it.
All the time spent on the two covers didn’t leave much space for revisions to The Spike Volume 2. I completed two chapters, went back and added a small part to an earlier chapter, and am halfway through another that I’m adding several small bits to.
As much as I try to pick up all the changes I want to make when I go through a chapter, a subsequent change to a later chapter sometimes means adding, removing, or changing something earlier in the story. Whether I change it as soon as I find it, or make a note to change it later, depends on how complex the change is, and whether I’m in the middle of making a different adjustment at the time.
On Monday, I published my review of The Lost Man by Jane Harper, a very good family-driven mystery. Every facet of it pulls in the same direction and it’s well put together, if a little formulaic.
I’ve finished reading Piranesi by Susanna Clarke and have begun writing my review. It’s a tricky one to rate because it goes for a style of story that I’m not keen on, but it does it well. To see what score I give it, keep an eye out for my review which is scheduled to be published on Monday.
I also, finally, finished playing Red Dead Redemption 2 this week. Most people rate it very highly, which I understand, but I don’t think it’s as good as they think it is. I’m considering writing a blogpost explaining why.
My creativity vs consumption percentage was 49% last week, which I thought would be difficult to beat considering the day job and my Crohn’s were still being problematic. And yet, this week I hit 51% which is immensely gratifying. It’s been 17 weeks since I last broke the magic 50/50 split, back before my busy spell at work, before feeling burnt out, and before a string of head colds. I was consistently around the 50% mark back then; hopefully this is a return to that level of productivity.
In the coming week, I’ll publish my review of Piranesi by Susanna Clarke, continue work on one or both of the covers for 1.1_Application_Infiltration and 1.2_Laying_Down_The_Law, and maybe for the second edition of Volume 1, plus I’ll continue revising Volume 2.
Reading this week: Piranesi by Susanna Clarke and Contrapposto by Dave Eggers and Kill Switch by William Hertling
Watching this week: The Leftovers season 3
Playing this week: Red Dead Redemption 2 and Black Book
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’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.
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.
weekly_inspiration
Every week I share something that’s inspired my creativity.
This week, I’ve mostly been listening to Marchin’ Already, the third album by Ocean Colour Scene from 1997.
Whilst working on the covers for my books, I wanted to listen to something different, and I hadn’t heard this for a long time. The most famous track from the album is Hundred Mile High City, below, easily recognisable by it’s guitar riff. Not everything from the 90s has aged so well.
What’s inspired you this week? Please share in the comments.
See you next week.
Arrowmaker Books 