Ajax Lygan's Blog, page 4

Heading into the Holiday and Ella Art

Hi all! I hope you are doing well. Below is a personal note from me, weekly progress and rounding things off with some new Ella artwork.

​

Personal Note:​
Until covid impacting everyone around the world, my wife and I were known as the hangout house. We would consistently have people over for food, games, and movie nights almost weekly. The last big event we had was in February for my wife’s birthday. Normally around this time we would invite all of our friends over for a friendsgiving. This weekend we didn’t have that, we just made meals for everyone in the household and spent some time together playing card games. The reason why I bring this up is that covid has impacted everyone in some shape or form. Living in the states, I have had family, close friends, and employees who have contracted the virus. It’s been a hard year for many so I just wanted to put out a word to hold your loved one’s close, give those friends a call you haven’t talked to in a while, and try to be thankful for anything that may have gone right this year. And if nothing has, then I’ll join you in saying fuck 2020 and I wish you and yours the best in 2021.

​

Writing Update:​
I wrapped tonight’s writing session ending in the middle of chapter 12. I did not get as far as I had hoped, however, I’m still ahead of NaNoWriMo this year and on track for my release date of early Q1. Another thing I wanted to talk about was the book 1 cover. When I originally designed the cover for the artist I was going for a more action packed aesthetic. However, in doing so it may have deterred some people from reading the book as a harem. Many of the authors in this genre have given me advice that I should redo the cover, and I plan on taking that advice. As of a few hours ago, I have reached out to the artist who did the original cover and asked for something that is more geared and sets the expectations for something in the harem genre. I’ll have more on that in the upcoming weeks.

​

Ella Art:​
I just received the character reference sheet for Ella in book 1 and the subsequent standalone images for her. You can see them each below:

Ella Concept Art & Reference Sheet

Ella defending her armor choicesElla volunteering to watch RiikaElla informing Tempest now is not the right time for such activities.

That’s it for me this week. I will be working next week during Thanksgiving and the day after. For those in the USA, have a wonderful holiday, for everyone else in the world I hope you have a wonderful week!

Live on Goodreads and a Much Needed Break

Hey everyone! I hope you all are having a great week. The hours are counting down on mine, so I wanted to get an update out to you all before I shut down for the night.

This week I took a much needed break and rearranged my work setup to try to make myself more comfortable. Last year when I took part in NaNoWriMo, I wrote for about 45 days straight, spending every second of my free time writing. This caused me some severe burn out. It was a hard lesson to learn about my own limitations. This year I have made it a point to have my own self-reflection and identify signs when I start to get burned out. The biggest symptom is when I don’t want to write. This is a huge red flag for me because I really enjoy it. So when I see myself not wanting to write, I know I need to step away for a bit. I did so this week, taking three days off and not writing a single word. The important thing about me taking time off is that it fuels my creativity and I get that writer’s itch (metaphorically speaking) and I need to put my thoughts on paper. This is when I find myself the most productive.

I am happy to share that book 1, The Aspect: Journey to the Firegrove is now live on Goodreads. You can visit it by clicking HERE. I recently set up an author’s profile. If you have read the book and would like to add it to your read list you can do so now. You can also see the books I am reading or have read. Be prepared, it’s a lot of comics.

In last week’s update, I had just finished chapter 5. I am happy to share that tomorrow I should wrap up Chapter 8. Chapter 8 is a long one so I need to wrap up this scene before the party ventures forth. I’m really excited with how this story is developing with a lot of mystery and intrigue while still answering questions from book 1. I believe I will answer most of them in book 2 while leaving the overarching ones for subsequent books.

Anyway, that’s a quick update for me this week. I hope you all have a wonderful week ahead.

Live on Goodreads and a Much Needed Break

Hey everyone! I hope you all are having a great week. The hours are counting down on mine, so I wanted to get an update out to you all before I shut down for the night.

​

This week I took a much needed break and rearranged my work setup to try to make myself more comfortable. Last year when I took part in NaNoWriMo, I wrote for about 45 days straight, spending every second of my free time writing. This caused me some severe burn out. It was a hard lesson to learn about my own limitations. This year I have made it a point to have my own self-reflection and identify signs when I start to get burned out. The biggest symptom is when I don’t want to write. This is a huge red flag for me because I really enjoy it. So when I see myself not wanting to write, I know I need to step away for a bit. I did so this week, taking three days off and not writing a single word. The important thing about me taking time off is that it fuels my creativity and I get that writer’s itch (metaphorically speaking) and I need to put my thoughts on paper. This is when I find myself the most productive.

​

I am happy to share that book 1, The Aspect: Journey to the Firegrove is now live on Goodreads. You can visit it by clicking HERE. I recently set up an author’s profile. If you have read the book and would like to add it to your read list you can do so now. You can also see the books I am reading or have read. Be prepared, it’s a lot of comics.

​

In last week’s update, I had just finished chapter 5. I am happy to share that tomorrow I should wrap up Chapter 8. Chapter 8 is a long one so I need to wrap up this scene before the party ventures forth. I’m really excited with how this story is developing with a lot of mystery and intrigue while still answering questions from book 1. I believe I will answer most of them in book 2 while leaving the overarching ones for subsequent books.

​

Anyway, that’s a quick update for me this week. I hope you all have a wonderful week ahead.

Launch in Review & Book 2 Update

Hi everyone! I hope you all are feeling as good as I am this weekend. This post will probably be a long one. I plan to do these posts around a week after each book launch, and give my thoughts on the feedback, criticisms, lessons learned, and changes I’ll be making going forward. There will also be a small book 2 update at the end so you can follow along with my progress. I’ll continue to update you at least once a week, as you can see from my post history. Now let’s jump right in!

Goals:
First, I want to start off by detailing my goals for writing book 1:

1. Create an adult character driven fantasy narrative that was action packed, had tough conversations, and showed character growth. It would also be the jumping off point for a 5-6 book saga based on my current outlines. I have a story to tell and once it’s done, it’s done.

2. I wanted there to be erotic scenes that felt natural and not forced.

3. I wanted the main character be male but ambiguous so that the reader had an easier time self imposing themselves into the story. As a white guy, I am so tired of seeing generic white guy #5 on a cover. That’s why you’ll always see me be vague when describing Tempest, and why you’ll never see what he looked like. This is about inclusivity and is important to my stories.

4. I wanted it to match the same level of quality that the prominent authors of this genre are known for. (Always an area for improvement)

5. I wanted to see if this was something I was passionate about and that I would like to continue doing. (The answer is a big yes!)

6. I wanted to at least break even with all the costs associated to writing it. (So far we’ll see)

Feedback and Criticisms:
So far, the response to the initial book has been positive. It’s currently sitting at a 4/5 stars rating on Amazon, which I believe is a fair rating based on the initial criticisms I have a received. I have had several people reach out to me and say they really enjoyed the book and can’t wait for book 2. This means so much to me and has really fueled my desire to continue down this path of writing. I want to continue; I want to improve, and I want to succeed. So to everyone who has read my work so far, even if you hated it, thank you! Now I want to jump into some criticisms that the book has received so far. This is not an opportunity to disagree, but an opportunity to give my point of view and if/how I will address them. WARNING THERE ARE SPOILERS AHEAD!

1. Too many perspective changes.

Response – My editor called this out, so it was something I was aware of. However, based on their input, they felt that I handled it well and it wasn’t too distracting. I think this is valid and something I am going to focus on improving going forward.

2. There are too many questions left unanswered, and it feels like I had forgotten they were brought up in the story.

Response – I had always written book 1 to be the start of a journey. I have written this to be a five book series which many of the questions asked will be answered in book 2. This is a valid criticism but note that it was done intentionally to create a sense of mystery and entice readers to want to read to find out more.

3. The plot feels fractured, like a giant fetch quest.

Response – I used the hero’s journey to plot this. The entire book is centered on the idea that Tempest and his companions journey across the world to find out if he is in fact The Aspect. The journey along the way had to have conflict and struggles, otherwise, it would have been rather short. I am definitely taking this to heart and digging in further to see how this could have been handled better for future books.

4. The companions say Tempest has multiple powers, but he only uses one.

Response – Tempest has the ability to cast healing magic and force magic. Thanks to Ella’s alchemy, he didn’t have to use the healing magic too much, giving him the opportunity to use more force magic. His powers will continue to grow throughout the books.

5. Not enough descriptions where it mattered and too much where it didn’t.

Response – Definitely something I am being mindful of moving forward. I had a fear of doing too much description to the point where the book became boring. That’s why the atmosphere and surroundings were always prioritized so I could set the scene. I’ll work harder on this.

6. Tempest is a conduit for the side characters and doesn’t play a lead role.

Response – This is 100% true. Tempest is like a lost puppy trying to figure out his way in the word. He has to heavily rely on his companions. I wrote him this way because I wanted to show him grow as a character over the series based on all the events that have and will transpire. Now that he has accepted he is The Aspect, you will see him take charge and own his responsibility. However, this is a story about Tempest and the harem, so the side characters will play major roles along the way too.

7. For a harem lit there was little smut and not enough harem

Response – There are a couple things I want to address with this one. First was my fear of getting banned by Amazon due to content. Since this is my first book writing about monster girls, it can be hit or miss on what is allowed and what is not allowed. I played it pretty safe on this one. Second, I never intended this to be a smut focused novel. It’s always been adventure and plot first, with sexiness added in where it made sense. I actually remember thinking about whether the number of sexual encounters was enough for a harem lit book and if I could add more. I ended up deciding not to because I couldn’t make it fit without making it seem forced or in a situation that could get the book banned on Amazon (non-consensual). Finally, the harem will continue to grow throughout the series. I do not have the intention of adding a character for no reason. There must be a reason why they want to join Tempest for his journey. In book 2, Tempest will be publically announced as The Aspect. That reason is sufficient however, book 1 had those restrictions in place.

Efforts to improve quality:
In book 1, I used two alpha readers and paid to have the book copyedited. However, even with all of that, there were still a few errors that slipped through. As such, I am opening sign ups for beta readers HERE. If you are interested, please read and fill out the form. You’ll get access to the content before anyone else, and help make the series even better. I have also purchased some additional programs to help with readability and grammatical corrections. That will give me a trifecta of beta readers, copy editor, and writing programs which should hopefully improve the writing quality.

Book 2 Progress Update:
Yesterday I finished chapter 5, and the book is sitting around 21,000 words right now. With my progress so far and my planned PTO in December, my intention is to finish the first draft of the book before the end of December so I can pass quality checks and publish in late Q1 2021.

People Love Riika:
As part of the marketing campaign, I have posted art on various subreddits and websites. Riika was the first concept art that was completed, which is available on my social media. However, on Reddit she received almost 3000 upvotes at the height of the post.

That’s it for me this week. Again, thank you to everyone who is following along. I am always on social media, so reach out if you have questions or feedback!

The Aspect Book 1 Launch Day & More

The big news of the day is that The Aspect: Journey to the Firegrove is now available on Amazon via purchase or Kindle Unlimited. You can find it here. I am thrilled by everyone’s enthusiasm on the posts I have made around the internet about the book. I really, really hope you all enjoy it as much as I enjoyed making it. So from the bottom of my heart, THANK YOU!

Another enormous set of news is that I have found the narrator for the audiobook! Rebecca Woods, who many of you may know from Wiedergeburt, Island Jumper, Evil Genius, etc., has agreed to narrate the audiobook. Scheduling is tight because of Ms. Woods busy schedule, however, she is looking to record in December. With ACX’s timeframes, at the earliest we would look at sometime early 2021. I will keep you all up to date on the progress.

Finally, book 2 progress update. Chapter 3 is underway and I should be done with it in the next day or two. I am currently taking part in NaNoWriMo again this year, so at minimum I am looking to get 50k done by the end of the month. Last year I finished with about 66k and took a significant amount of time off after because of changing jobs and getting burnt out. The plan is not to let that happen this year and I have my wife there to keep me in check.

That’s it for me today. Again, a huge thank you to all my readers. I appreciate your support! Have a great week!

Audiobook Auditions Opened & Book 2 Update

Before I even started writing the Aspect series, I knew I wanted it in an audiobook format. However, like most new authors, I have had to decide on whether to wait to make sure that readers enjoyed my writing first. Needless to say, the feedback I have received from the ARC copies, and previews has been overwhelmingly positive. To me, this is a sign that readers enjoy the content that I have created and want it in multiple formats.

This might be taboo to say as a writer, but as a reader I prefer to absorb books via audiobook rather than reading paperback or ebook. The positive feedback I have received has solidified my decision to move forward with producing the book as an audiobook. I have just put out the casting call for auditions today and hope will hopefully be able to work with a name that you all are familiar with. The audiobook is estimated to be 14.5 hours long, so should be a substantial value for your money.

(**SPOILERs AHEAD**) Now for an update on book 2. I have completed Chapter 1 and I am working on chapter 2. The book starts off all guns blazing with an introduction into a few new characters and some visits from some returning ones. I hope you are as excited about this one as I am. Where book one was a starting journey, book 2 is a solid thriller.

That’s it for me today. Thank you all for a for your continued support!

Book 2 Outline v1 Complete!

This past weekend I have finished the outline for book 2, and I have sent it off to my alpha readers for feedback. Coming in at just under 5000 words, this outline is massive compared to book 1’s outline. I don’t know if that’s just due to my improvement as a writer or my desire for additional prep work. However, based on initial reactions, you’ll want to squeeze those cheeks together.

Where book 1 was meant to tell Tempest’s journey of self-discovery, book 2 is where Tempest begins to deal with the weight of being the Aspect. Being responsible for the world’s problems is a heavy burden to bear. He’ll have to deal with political intrigue, a new threat, and the continuing growth of the unknown horrors invading Iðna. The danger grows and the stakes are higher.

I am super excited about this outline. I can’t wait to finish this book and get it into your hands. It took me over a year to write book 1, however, this will be the first time I write an entire book without taking massive breaks in between. One of the reasons why book one took so long is that I took a seven-month break between when I started and when I finished. I had started a new job and wanted to make sure that it had my full focus to set a good impression. With that concern out of the way, I’ll be able to continue to write almost daily. I do expect to take some time off during November for Cyberpunk 2077. Like many of you, I have been waiting seven years for that game, and I cannot wait to get my hands on it.

That’s it for today. I hope you all have a great week, and look out for book 1 releasing November 1st. You can get your copy here: https://www.amazon.com/Aspect-Journey...

Pre-order is up on Amazon & ARC Live

Like the title says, the pre-order is available on Amazon. Go-live date is November 1st.

Link: https://www.amazon.com/Aspect-Journey...

Newsletter!

The newsletter has been created! All future content will be made available, summarized, and posted in the newsletter first! Any NSFW content will be linked back to the website instead of posting through the newsletter itself. This is to be compliant with the newsletter’s TOS.

Website Is Live!

The website is finally live! Make sure to sign up for the newsletter to stay up to date on all the progress I am making while writing! I will always send out updates via the newsletter before social media.