Adrian Faulkner's Blog, page 20
April 5, 2021
A Nice Little Groove – The Climb #772
I seem to have settled into a nice little groove at the moment. Work is getting done and I’m also having plenty of time to play things like World of Warcraft. There are improvements that could be made, but everything seems to be moving forwards.
I managed to get my priest to level 60 today. This is a major accomplishment as I’ve been stuck on them for weeks. Putting in a lot of effort yesterday to today I’ve taken them from 55 to 60. Have been listening to an audiobook...
April 4, 2021
Sample Chapters – The Climb #771
I like days like today.
I got more done to the sample chapters of The Accursed. I’m still finding my way with this story so I’m not exactly pumping the words out just yet. But then I’m still finding my way with the story.
Whilst I have an outline, I’ve not done what I normally do and outline the chapter, opting to go for a more discovery approach. I find this slower and may change this as I progress with this and further projects.
I’m also doing this in MS Word which f...
March 24, 2021
Troubles in Torghast – The Climb #760
Today was another day of editing. Didn’t make as much progress as I’d like but I still got a substantial amount done.
Part of the reason for this is because I’d arranged to do Twisting Corridors this week with the guild.
As I’ve mentioned I’ve largely avoided doing Torghast as I could only do certain levels on my own and it was annoying to do an entire wing only to fail the final boss and get nothing.
Last week I did a bunch of Torghast to get enough soul ash for my lege...
March 23, 2021
Knee Deep In Edits – The Climb #759
Today, I did a bunch of editing on 4S. I really want to get this done but I also want to get some outlines done as well.
I made good progress with this book today. It seems really solid and the only worry I really have about it is repetition.
The main character’s best friend is a bit of an arsehole and constantly puts the main character down. When our hero finds a new set of friends who are not like this, he comments about it… a lot.
Part of that is the character. They...
March 22, 2021
Magic Systems – The Climb #758
I spent today working on magic systems. And yes, that’s right, it’s plural.
One thing I think I’m weak at is magic. It’s not that the magic that’s in my books is weak but I’m very much of the old school where magic is mysterious and it’s never clearly defined. The cost, and there always is a cost, is that the person casting the magic is exhausted and can’t cast for a while, or the object is somehow temporarily depleted. I work on mana bar principles, where magic costs ...
March 21, 2021
The Multiverse – The Climb #757
I got the basis of a new idea yesterday.
One of the things I’ve been miserable about is that I really like aspects of Black as Knight’s worldbuilding. I’d still like to write in that world but my professional head has told me that the next thing needs to be far removed from it.
And perhaps it is as I’ve continued to edit 4S and that’s very different.
But in coming up with outlines, I’ve stayed far away from any of the elements that I loved about Black As Knight. And th...
March 20, 2021
From The Ashes… – The Climb #756
After a couple of weeks, I feel I’m really slowly starting to come out of my funk. I’ve been doing stuff, so it’s not that I haven’t been productive, it’s just that the massive spanner in the works derailed me for a time.
I had to give myself time to be allowed to feel miserable about this. In truth, I probably need another week. I’ve kept things ticking along but I need to go back into my long term aims and make adjustments.
Writing projects are completely up in the ai...
March 19, 2021
Plotting Two Novels – The Climb #755
I’ve spent a good part of my writing time today working on outlines. Bizarrely, I’ve found myself naturally switching between two. One is a fun, almost-YA fantasy, whilst the other is a more serious epic fantasy.
Perhaps because they are so vastly different in tone is how I’ve been able to work on the two.
What I’ve been trying to do is take the ideas I have and fit them into a 27 stage outline template I have. These 27 stages will form the basis of my chapters. Howe...
March 18, 2021
Outlining – The Climb #754
Here’s the thing about outlining. It doesn’t feel a lot like work.
Sure, there’s the maddening part when you have most of the story but there’s a bit missing, and your brain feels like it might explode. But that’s when you leave it.
I’ve found early mornings really good the past week. I’m waking earlier currently, and because I don’t need to commute, I can give myself a little lie in. And there’s something in that first-thing-in-the-morning state that is productive ...
March 17, 2021
Back Brain Stuff – The Climb #753
Today was the start of a new Fortnite season and I have to admit that I didn’t get a lot of written work done. I did, however, work out that when you are outlining, having a lay-in and thinking about some plot problems can constitute work.
I woke early and spent an hour naturally mulling over a plot issue with a novel idea. I basically came to the conclusion that the climax I had planned for this novel maybe needs to be the thing that kicks it all off. That seems to wo...
