Awakened – ~39,000 words, approximately 1/3 of first draft
Things are coming together. On the surface, it looks like I only wrote 4,000 words over the last month, but a lot of what’s been done has actually been rewrites. I began rehashing things from earlier in the story, only intending to spruce some things up, but found myself rewriting entire chapters and developing characters in different ways than originally anticipated. It’s making for a much better novel.
Additionally, I’ve had the chance to bounce some ideas off some friends, and those have led to some very cool ideas on where to take the story and how to develop some characters. Things are feeling more and more “locked in,” and this is shaping up to be another exhilarating fantasy akin to Purged.
This book will also be the most emotional in the trilogy. There are some very tragic things that hit you from the very beginning, and as the book progresses, the story moves like a freight train that will have you questioning the future of Nezmyth. And rightfully so.
On a personal level, I’ve been hit with bouts of anxiety and depression lately, which has been hurting my ability to write well/frequently. I’ve taken time away from work to recuperate and I’m trying to get enough sleep, nutrition, and exercise, but it’s a struggle. I’ve actually used writing as a tool to sort out my feelings and it’s been a helpful tool, along with prayer and time with friends. Hoping things get better in the near future.
Stories I’ve been enjoying
The Fifth Season – My friend Adam got me on this and I have to admit, I wasn’t immediately in love. After reading the first chapter, I felt like N.K. Jemisin was trying hard to show me how smart she was by the way she handled her writing voice. Truthfully, she has an incredible grasp of the English language. Her prose is taut and poetic… almost to the point of being distracting. However, as I’ve continued on I’ve been getting more used to her voice. The story is becoming pretty fascinating, even though I’m only a few chapters in. Stoked to see where it develops.
The Fast and the Furious – Yeah, you read that right. I saw F9 with Adam last weekend and it was awful. I hated it. But I had also never seen the original F&F so we fired up HBO Max and gave it a whirl. I actually really enjoyed it! It oozes cool and has a couple of scenes that are genuinely well written and acted–particularly the garage scene where Dom tells the story of his father’s passing. It’s not a 10/10 movie, but if the whole F&F franchise was about street racing instead of… whatever it is now… I’d probably enjoy it a lot more.
My Hero Academia – I’ve enjoyed most of MHA, but I’m getting through the fourth season and it is fantastic. The fight between Deku and Overhaul was spectacular. I’m a total Red Riot stan now. What they’ve done to flesh out the characters and deliver emotional punches has been fabulous. Definitely recommended for every anime fan.
What do you think?