An indie author’s regular spoiler-free blog on his writing, editing, cover design, marketing, publishing, website maintenance, and blogging. Issue 101.
This week in one word: conspiratorial.
my_writing_week
Previously on WWW…
Over the next seven days, I don’t have anything specific I need to do now, but lots that needs to be done at some point. I’d like to want to work on the cover designs, because I know I won’t do it if I don’t want to. It’s more likely I’ll chip away at my long list of smallish jobs.
The week started as intended but a change of plan meant it didn’t finish that way…
I began by writing more for my new blogpost series I’m calling If you like these…, ie if you liked these works, you might like The Spike. I’ve nearly finished part four, with seven planned. One of the things I’m pleased by is the range: there are movies, TV shows, and songs of huge cultural significance, and there are indie books and movies that may not have had a wide impact but certainly influenced me.
I also wrote more for my The Spike Volume 1 second edition publication blogpost series. These are mostly done; I have one piece to finish, then one more to write which will be about how I made my book covers. Speaking of which…
I made some progress on the cover design for The Spike 1.1_Application_Infiltration. The last part I had to do was a bit of detail, but it’s important enough to be make-or-break for this design. I’d tried a couple of things that I didn’t like, but I’ve found a solution that looks good. There’s some additional parts I was going to add, and I will still try them, but it may actually work better without them.
For the last three weeks or so, on and off, I’ve been brainstorming for The Spike Volume 3. I’ve got a long list of the characters and groups that need at least a mention; I’ve selected one and then compared it to every other on the list, thinking how they would/could/should combine.
It’s a long process. I wanted to complete this stage so I could put it aside when I began my readthrough of Volume 2, and that’s the timeline I was working to.
It was Tuesday when my plans changed.
I realised my brainstorming was involving a lot of thinking back to Volume 2, and how things need to follow on. I ideally want more distance to Volume 2 before I start the readthrough, so I want to work on something unrelated to The Spike for at least a few days before I start the readthrough.
That means finishing the Volume 3 brainstorming as a priority. So that’s what I worked on for the rest of the week.
That begs the question: once I’ve finished brainstorming for Volume 3, what can I work on that isn’t related to The Spike?
I can work on the cover designs, because I don’t need to think about the story to do those. They should be my top priority.
There will be two book reviews to write. I’m about two-thirds through reading both Recursion by Blake Crouch and John of John by Douglas Stuart, and enjoying both in different ways.
I won’t want to continue writing the If you like these… blogpost series, because when I write about the piece that inspired me, I specify how it impacted The Spike.
I could write a new blogpost, though. I’ve got a couple of ideas in mind.
I like the idea of brainstorming for a different project – that would certainly give me some separation from The Spike – but I’m not sure which to work on.
Project Fang has been shelved because it relates to something that’s big news at the moment but might not be by the time I’ve written the whole book. I’m still tempted by it though.
Project Teleport is also shelved because I have a different plan for that idea.
Project Grim was shelved because my initial excitement for the idea faded; I’ve got a little itch in the back of my mind that it could be better if I write it from a different perspective, and that needs more investigation.
Project Lawless is on hold for now as I’m not sure how best to move forward with it.
The problem with all of these of course is that I don’t really want to turn my attention away from The Spike long-term, which is what it would take to bring any of these to completion… unless I turn one into a shorter piece.
I might see if the change of perspective, and a shift to a shorter form, would work for Project Grim. As I type that, it sounds the most appealing option.
I’ll see where my mood takes me.
This is the sixteenth week in a row that I’ve hit at least an even 50/50 split for my creativity vs consumption, scraping 50%. I allowed myself a couple of lazy periods during the week so twice had big deficits to make up, which wasn’t particularly smart, but at least my stubbornness to want the streak to continue brought about a good result.
Next week, priority one will be brainstorming for The Spike Volume 3. Once that’s done, I’ll cut off all work on anything related to The Spike, except the cover designs, and pick something else to work on. Perhaps Project Grim.
Reading this week: Recursion by Blake Crouch and John of John by Douglas Stuart
Watching this week: Schitt’s Creek season 2 and Sons of Anarchy season 1
Playing this week: Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
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. One of the new three is ready to go; the other two require some final editing. I may submit the new three to journals or short story collections, but all will be published by Arrowmaker Books some time before Volume 2 is published.
I’m working 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. Both have a similar style and layout.
Draft 3 of The Spike Volume 2 is complete!
The next step will be a complete readthrough to check if any further story revisions are required.
Volume 2 is my biggest and most complex project to date, containing three separate books from the perspectives of seven characters.
The current aim is to have Volume 2 ready for editing by the end of 2026.
I am brainstorming 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. Outlining may begin soon.
On the back-burner, not currently being worked on are:
Project Fang
Project Teleport
Project Grim
Project Lawless
weekly_inspiration
Every week I share something that’s inspired my creativity.
This week, unusually, the thing I want to share is something I haven’t consumed at all this week, but it was very much in my mind whilst brainstorming for The Spike Volume 3.
The X-Files is one of my favourite TV shows, and the twisty-turny conspiracy that was present even through many of the “monster-of-the-week” episodes is a big influence on The Spike. My story is very different (no FBI, no aliens, nothing supernatural), but they managed the overarching mystery really well, until they didn’t. I can learn from both the good and bad.
Whilst I’m not including surrogates for Mulder or Scully, one minor player in The X-Files informs two characters who will feature quite heavily in The Spike Volume 3. No, I’m not going to tell you who they are.
What’s inspired you this week? Please share in the comments.
See you next week.
