Kyle Belote's Blog, page 4

Writing Update | Vol. VI | Draft 2.3

…And I’m back! This will be short, so let’s dive right in.

As stated in the previous post, I thought something was missing, and I was right. I added a chapter to the novel. There was a very prominent gap between two events with no build up, so I needed to add a chapter for the set up. Though written in as a first draft, I won’t go back for the second draft until the end of the novel, that way I’ve got distance and perspective on it. Be that as it may, this character’s done for the time being, and I’ll be moving on to another.

The next character I’m jumping into is one that was introduced in Vol. III, and she hasn’t been touched on since then. It’s nice to bring her back into the fold, discover her fate since the events of III, and see where her story takes her. She is, by far, one of the more complex characters in books VI & VII, though she won’t seem so at first, and her storyline’s probably my favorite or second favorite in book VII. For clarity, some elements of the first draft have been done for Vol. VII, and she’s one of two.

That said, I jumped feet-first into the storyline and knocked it out fast. I find the chapters with her quite engrossing, and sometimes, I wish there was more. But I think, overall, it’s better if I don’t let my favorite characters take too much limelight. Had to learn that the hard way. I could probably write a whole novel just about her … there’s an idea. Once I finish the series, I promised myself I wouldn’t go back in and write prequels to main characters, and I stand by that. I could be persuaded … with the right story, but this character isn’t a main one, so that promise is off the table. All in all, there were five chapters and an epilogue with her. I did add to the story a touch, as reflected in the word count, just to make motivations and stakes more clear.

As I’ve progressed through the years of writing, I’ve found that I’m drawn to writing villains, or at the very least, morally gray, complex characters, and she’s a villain, in a sense. If drawn in lines of black and white, then yes, she sits on one side of that line, but in the spectrum to dark and light, she’s definitely gray, with a touch of villainy. The choices characters make—and people, too—is what defines them, and one moment, you despise her, and in the next, you sympathize, and that’s what makes a character/villain interesting.

In the movie world, we understood Thanos’s quest, what drove him. We may not agree with his methods, but he was understandable. In the gaming world, we understand the Reapers, what their end goal is, even if nebulous, but we don’t agree with them. But a villain whose motivations aren’t clear … well, sometimes it’s okay to have an evil bad guy for the sake of it, but most of the time, they’re flat. No one evil sees themselves as evil; no one wakes up and decides today’s the day I turn to villainy. But sometimes, a lot of the times, people are faced with hard choices, and in the fantasy world … well, the methods for dealing with those hard choices are more severe and a touch over-the-top. I think you’ll like her when you finally get to read her.

So, here’s the update thus far…

Prologue: 0 / 1Chapters: 12 / 58Epilogues: 2 / 7Total Words: 47,211 / 272,488Percentage Done: 17.32%1st Draft: 265,607

If you enjoyed this content and want more or to support the cause, follow me on Patreon! If you want to read my works, check out my books on Amazon. All are available in eBook and print. Reviews can be found on Goodreads and Amazon. I shall return…

Writing Update | Vol. VI | Draft 2.2

…And I’m back! This will be short, so let’s dive right in.

Well, I’ve gotten through the character’s storyline, the one I have the hardest time relating to, and I feel that something is missing. I might have to take a short timeout and figure out what it is. There may be a chapter that needs to be written because it doesn’t feel like all the dots have been connected. That said, I’m eyeing the next character’s storyline and I’ve chosen to go through another villain-esque story. Yes, I know, “You have two villains? That’s too many! It’s crowded!” Not everyone faces the same villain, and by the time I’m through with Vol. VI & VII, I hope there’s as many villains as there is protagonists. Anyway, you’re here for the update…

Prologue: 0 / 1Chapters: 6 / 57Epilogues: 1 / 7Total Words: 25,523 / 267,992Percentage Done: 11.01%1st Draft: 265,607

If you enjoyed this content and want more or to support the cause, follow me on Patreon! If you want to read my works, check out my books on Amazon. All are available in eBook and print. Reviews can be found on Goodreads and Amazon. I shall return…

Writing Update | Vol. VI | Draft 2.1

…And I’m back! This will be short, so let’s dive right in.

I’ve kicked off the second draft to Vol. VI, and it’s a monster tome. Volume IV is sitting at 271k words after the fourth draft, and Volume VI is at 266k after the initial writing. Let’s take a moment to glance back and see how the first volume took shape.

In all technical sense, I cracked open Vol. VI on 5/5/24, starting with 114k words already written. To be fair, some of that had to be rewritten as the story had changed. By 6/18/24, I finished the first draft at 253k words, then added a little bit more, bringing the word count up another 12,000. So, in a month and a half, I added 151,000 words to the book. That’s a pretty fast turn around. Mind you, this is creative writing, not the same as copying handwritten notes into the computer and spitting something out. In the creative realm, a thirty words per minute pace is great. Doesn’t sound like much, but any writer can attest that sometimes you sit down to write, and you stare at a blank page.

So, let’s get into the nitty gritty. It’s a slow start to the novel, and this one might take me some time to plod through. I started with a character that I have the hardest time writing, one that starts down a path of ruination. I try to find something that I can connect to with each character I write, and unfortunately, I don’t have that same tether to this character, so getting into his mindset is hard. That said, he’s integral to the coming stories, so it’s not something I can skip. After his chapters are complete, I’ll be able to move to other characters that are far more established and easier to get into the flow with. So, without further ado, here’s the stats so far…

Prologue: 0 / 1Chapters: 3 / 57Epilogues: 0 / 7Total Words: 15,804 / 267,171Percentage Done: 5.91%1st Draft: 265,607

If you enjoyed this content and want more or to support the cause, follow me on Patreon! If you want to read my works, check out my books on Amazon. All are available in eBook and print. Reviews can be found on Goodreads and Amazon. I shall return…

Writing Update | Maro 2 | Draft 4

…And I’m back! This will be short, so let’s dive right in.

Maro 2 draft 4 is complete! I was able to hit it hard and get it knocked out. Reviews are starting to trickle in with Maro 1—Red Creek—on Goodreads, and one individual expressed hope for a sequel. I told them there was one coming, hopefully by August. With each book, I hope to hit a new genre within the western-fantasy world. Red Creek’s tone is gritty, bloody, and bleak—a story of redemption, if any is to be had. And Maro 2 is a comedy-horror, less Marvel jokes and more funny situations/ personalities playing off each other.

Here’s the final tally:

Chapters: 10Epilogue: 1Word Count: 36,4403rd Draft: 37,0942nd Draft: 34,0121st Draft: 31,553

So, what’s next on the agenda? Well, we’re going back to the fantasy series, and I’m hitting Vol. VI. It’s a monster of a book, almost the same size as Vol IV after four rounds of edits, but it’s only going to get larger after a few drafts. I had the most fun writing the first draft of this book than any other in the fantasy series, primarily due to ‘cracking’ the story. Most books kick it up a few notches from about 75% on, whereas this book kicks the series into a higher drive, which will echo through books VII and VIII. I think the three words I would describe Vol. VI would be ‘speed and intensity.’ Be on the lookout for regular updates as I plod through the beast.

If you enjoyed this content and want more or to support the cause, follow me on Patreon! If you want to read my works, check out my books on Amazon. All are available in eBook and print. Reviews can be found on Goodreads and Amazon. I shall return…

Writing Update: Vol. V | Draft 2.9

…And I’m back! This will be short, so let’s dive right in.

If you’re following me on Patreon, then you already know that draft two is complete for volume V. It’s a pretty short novel—for me—so, it was easy to get in and out. Since I know where the next novel is headed, I focused on the character details of their journey to make sure it matches where they’ll be at the start of the next.

While going through volume IV and V, I’ve decided both novels will be getting new titles, though to be fair, I’ll be reusing one. When I initially named book IV, it was a work in progress, and it signaled my end goal; however, it’s very disconnected with the overall story and doesn’t quite match. Going into volume V, I used a title that I’d always planned for, echoing back to passages in the first or second book. While it has merit, The Stone Angel, I’ll be dropping it, and going with volume IV’s old title: Lord of the Underworld. As for the new scrawl for volume IV, you’ll have to wait until closer to release date, which is slated for 2027, but we might be able to bump that up.

Here’s the final tally for the latest round of edits. I even managed to cut a whole chapter out and you can’t even tell.

Prologue: 1 / 1Chapters: 25/ 25Epilogues: 3 / 3Total Words: 95,910 / 95,910Percentage Done: 100%1.5 Draft: 95,2861st Draft: 75K

So, what’s next on the agenda? Well, I once spoke of taking a short jaunt from the fantasy series to get Maro 2—the sequel to Red Creek—ready for the editor. So, I’ll be doing that. As with novellas, my time away will be short-lived, a week at most. As we get to the end of March, I’ll have to take another sojourn for the final round of edits, and that will take two-to-three times as long, as this edit is the most grueling, going line by line, word by word, making it as polished as I can. It’ll be going to the editor around May timeframe and hopefully be out on shelves during the summer. Here’s the word count for each draft so you have an idea what I’m going into.

1st Draft: 31,5532nd Draft: 34,0123rd Draft: 37,094

If you enjoyed this content and want more or to support the cause, follow me on Patreon! If you want to read my works, check out my books on Amazon. All are available in eBook and print. Reviews can be found on Goodreads and Amazon. I shall return…

Writing Update: Vol. V | Draft 2.4

…And I’m back! This will be short, so let’s dive right in.

Well, this is going to be rather short. I haven’t edited a single word in the last week. Apparently, my number was called in the sick lottery, and I’ve spent the better part of a week in bed with fevers ranging as high as 103F. Nothing quite takes your energy away like baking in your sheets and waking up sweating like you’re in a sauna. Today’s my first day back in any capacity, so it’ll be a little while before I start making some headway. Despite the setback, I am still ahead in my editing phase, and I’m looking forward to buckling down and getting back into the saddle.

If you enjoyed this content and want more or to support the cause, follow me on Patreon! If you want to read my works, check out my books on Amazon. All are available in eBook and print. Reviews can be found on Goodreads and Amazon. I shall return…

Writing Update: Vol. V | Draft 2.3

…And I’m back! This will be short, so let’s dive right in.

One thing I love about revisions, especially after taking a hiatus from a manuscript, is coming back and realizing, ‘Oh, I wrote that.’ As stated before, book V is where a lot of questions get answered, and it’s nice to know what’s coming next and being able to go back and drop hints earlier. It also allows me a better idea of character arcs through several books and see if it rings true. One character in this book came out of the gate in a pretty bad light, whereas I’d want people to understand why this character is that way. It’s fun yet challenging. On to the numbers…

Prologue: 1 / 1Chapters: 17 / 26Epilogues: 2 / 3Total Words: 66,271 / 97,509Percentage Done: 67.96%1.5 Draft: 95,2861st Draft: 75K

If you enjoyed this content and want more or to support the cause, follow me on Patreon! If you want to read my works, check out my books on Amazon. All are available in eBook and print. Reviews can be found on Goodreads and Amazon. I shall return…

Writing Update: Vol. V | Draft 2.2

…And I’m back! This will be short, so let’s dive right in.

The journey through volume V is picking up speed, and hopefully soon, it’ll reach critical mass. I need to find a beta reader for it, so, if you’re interest, let me know. There’s not much to report other than the numbers, so let’s get to the juicy details.

Prologue: 1 / 1Chapters: 13 / 26Epilogues: 1 / 3Total Words: 51,709 / 97,229Percentage Done: 53.18%1.5 Draft: 95,2861st Draft: 75K

If you enjoyed this content and want more or to support the cause, follow me on Patreon! If you want to read my works, check out my books on Amazon. All are available in eBook and print. Reviews can be found on Goodreads and Amazon. I shall return…

Writing Update: Vol. V | Draft 2.1

…And I’m back! This will be short, so let’s dive right in.

The next draft is underway for book five. It’s the shortest of the series by far, so there will be a quicker turn around time between volume IV and V. Right now, it’s clocking in just under 100,000 words, but usually with drafts, books grow. Still, it’ll be half the size of the average. I’m currently a little over 1/3 of the way through the book.

What’s unique about book five, and why’s it so short? In the grand scheme, it’s a stand alone novel within the series that launches the back half. I normally write in duologies, cause and effect, but volumes VI – VIII will be a trilogy to finish the series. Also, book five is where a lot of answers start popping up and begins asking new questions you didn’t realize existed. To be fair, a little bit of that journey is buried inside volume IV, but V takes it to a whole new level.

If you enjoyed this content and want more or to support the cause, follow me on Patreon! If you want to read my works, check out my books on Amazon. All are available in eBook and print. Reviews can be found on Goodreads and Amazon. I shall return…

Writing Update: Vol IV Draft 4.3

…And I’m back! This will be short, so let’s dive right in.

Draft four is in the bag. Volume four’s a monster of a tome, and from its first iteration in 2017 to now, it’s been an arduous journey. It’s strange how the stories we write are time capsules of ourselves at a younger era, and the things that influenced us are quite prevalent. I’ve got to admit, there’s elements that crept into my books over the years from other folks, and while bad advice for me, they were done with the best of intentions. Luckily, I picked up on this years ago, with earlier books—Vol. II & III—and was able to remove or change the direction. Unfortunately, some of those elements were in book one, and once published … well, you get the idea. I’ve done my best to alter the course set from the onset, and I’m happy where its ended up. Volume IV will need one more draft before I send it off to the editor, but we’re on track for a 2027 release.

So, what’s the final tally? I’ve whittled and chiseled and sculpted this story down to its bare essentials, streamlining the story for a more impactful punch. A lot of people put emphasis on word count, but after reading a bloated and entirely lackluster Wind and Truth recently, I can confidently say that more words doesn’t equate to better. Much of it has to do with the quality of writing, not the quantity, and a good story. So, here’s the final tally.

Chapters: 56 / 56 Epilogues: 9 / 9Prologue: 1 / 1Total Words: 270,759Previous Drafts:3rd Draft: 285,567Cut novella: 319,8102nd Draft: 344,8541st Draft: 402,303

What’s next on the agenda? Volume V. I plan to go from books 4–7 for the foreseeable future. I might have to make a side jaunt to the second Maro Prakk novella to get it ready for the editor, but other than that, I hope to take a linear approach and ensure the story has cohesion, especially with all the changes. In the meantime, I have to ready myself for a personal task this week, and once that’s completed, it’ll be full steam ahead with the fifth installment, so stay tuned for updates on that.

If you enjoyed this content and want more or to support the cause, follow me on Patreon! If you want to read my works, check out my books on Amazon. All are available in eBook and print. Reviews can be found on Goodreads and Amazon. I shall return…