M.J. Oelkers's Blog, page 2
May 14, 2025
Short One
Says it on the tin. Pretty light week as far as writing stuff goes. Kept tossing the storyboard for story seven around in my head because I'm incapable of not doing that. I'll be getting the draft started either today or tomorrow. While I'm a bit apprehensive about revving the engine back up, I always seem to feel that way right before starting a new story. Just a bit of jitters I get to deal with every time. Like if I don't write that first page perfectly on the first try then I'm gonna beaten or something equally dreadful. Goes away once I'm started, though it really just morphs into worrying about the story being too short, which inevitably (and somewhat more founded) turns to me worrying the story is too long. Lovely cycle, that.
Ran through the manuscript for Spellseeker that was handed back my way. Did the good ol' side-by-side comparison. Caught some mistakes that were left in, as well. Made me realize the publisher likely just hit "Accept All" on my changes and didn't bother to read anything. Not surprised. Given that I'm essentially out of fucks to give on this matter, I'm not even particularly disappointed. Just sent the new comments back and eagerly awaiting their reply. Hopefully this'll be the last time I need to dig into Spellseeker again. Fingers crossed.
Toodles.
Ran through the manuscript for Spellseeker that was handed back my way. Did the good ol' side-by-side comparison. Caught some mistakes that were left in, as well. Made me realize the publisher likely just hit "Accept All" on my changes and didn't bother to read anything. Not surprised. Given that I'm essentially out of fucks to give on this matter, I'm not even particularly disappointed. Just sent the new comments back and eagerly awaiting their reply. Hopefully this'll be the last time I need to dig into Spellseeker again. Fingers crossed.
Toodles.
May 8, 2025
Roadmap
Last week's post got away from me a bit. No particular reason, just lost in the shuffle. ADHD brain do be forgetting stuff sometimes. All well and good.
Speaking of good, I've finished the plotting for story number seven! Like... right now. Finished the plotting and jumped right over here to bra- I mean celebrate. It was a bit of an odd one to navigate this time around. Normally, I have a very concrete beginning and ending. Just need to work through the connective tissue. The ending was a bit in flux this time around. Possibly the most malleable experience I've had with one of these stories to date. Lots of mood and tone (as well as motivation and consequence) got tooled and retooled on the fly. I'm pretty happy with how things turned out. I'll let my brain rest for a few days, then move forward and start the actual writing.
Also got the revised draft of Spellseeker back from the publisher last night. Curious to see if there was any pushback on my changes or if everything was just slapped along to my liking. I choose not to entertain the thought that nothing was changed at all and they just pitched it back my way. Of course, there's no way to know until I crack the thing open and take a peek. What a lovely way to spend my downtime before I start writing the next story. Tis a necessary evil, however, and I will see it done.
Toodles.
Speaking of good, I've finished the plotting for story number seven! Like... right now. Finished the plotting and jumped right over here to bra- I mean celebrate. It was a bit of an odd one to navigate this time around. Normally, I have a very concrete beginning and ending. Just need to work through the connective tissue. The ending was a bit in flux this time around. Possibly the most malleable experience I've had with one of these stories to date. Lots of mood and tone (as well as motivation and consequence) got tooled and retooled on the fly. I'm pretty happy with how things turned out. I'll let my brain rest for a few days, then move forward and start the actual writing.
Also got the revised draft of Spellseeker back from the publisher last night. Curious to see if there was any pushback on my changes or if everything was just slapped along to my liking. I choose not to entertain the thought that nothing was changed at all and they just pitched it back my way. Of course, there's no way to know until I crack the thing open and take a peek. What a lovely way to spend my downtime before I start writing the next story. Tis a necessary evil, however, and I will see it done.
Toodles.
April 23, 2025
Changes
The folks who published Spellseeker thankfully got back to me without a fuss. Was worried I might have to send smoke signals or something. They passed my notes on and are going to give me a final copy to look at once they're done. I should be able to toss it into a PDF editor and do a side-by-side to make sure everything was implemented correctly. I'm excited to have this one off my plate.
The current story is shaping up rather well. I've got the first ten chapters laid out now. Pieces of the puzzle continue to manifest before my eyes like a tangible truth. Such a wonderful feeling when the events continue to fall into place so neatly. Can't really say too much without being spoilery (for something that probably won't see the light of day for like... five years).
Not sure when I'm going to convince myself to start the revisions for Keeper. Maybe once I've gotten through the initial planning for this current story? It would be a good way to split the duties. Get the sense of some of my older characters as they are coming back for another spin at the wheel. Helps me get back into people's heads and remember who they are. More on that later.
Toodles.
The current story is shaping up rather well. I've got the first ten chapters laid out now. Pieces of the puzzle continue to manifest before my eyes like a tangible truth. Such a wonderful feeling when the events continue to fall into place so neatly. Can't really say too much without being spoilery (for something that probably won't see the light of day for like... five years).
Not sure when I'm going to convince myself to start the revisions for Keeper. Maybe once I've gotten through the initial planning for this current story? It would be a good way to split the duties. Get the sense of some of my older characters as they are coming back for another spin at the wheel. Helps me get back into people's heads and remember who they are. More on that later.
Toodles.
April 16, 2025
Like A Glove
Feels really good to be back in the flow (almost capitalized that by reflex, silly me) of generating new ideas. Story-boarding always does feel like the honeymoon phase. All of the ideas are bright and shiny. Stuff slides right into place like it was always meant to be there. Everything about the whole process just feels... right.
I've got a solid grasp on the first few chapters. Light framing is in place all the way up to chapter seven. As more of those light frames get built into solid footholds, more frames will get thrown up ahead. Side characters are beginning to shape and gain their motivations and personalities. A new central character is also getting outfitted quite nicely.
Most delightful of all is that the villain continues to evolve. We were past the cardboard cutout stage when last I posted. Now that initial formation is gaining clarity. Their goal is sensible (to them) and their method makes sense as well. There's a touch of sympathy being added that I had not initially expected, which is always the most welcome. A little something something to humanize your monster always makes them so much more fun to interact with. I remain horribly delighted to find exactly where this tale finds its conclusion.
Also, the Spellseeker revision notes have gone out to the publisher. No word back from them yet. If I don't hear anything within a week, I'll knock on their door to make sure the request isn't getting shuffled under a rug. Can never be too careful.
Toodles.
I've got a solid grasp on the first few chapters. Light framing is in place all the way up to chapter seven. As more of those light frames get built into solid footholds, more frames will get thrown up ahead. Side characters are beginning to shape and gain their motivations and personalities. A new central character is also getting outfitted quite nicely.
Most delightful of all is that the villain continues to evolve. We were past the cardboard cutout stage when last I posted. Now that initial formation is gaining clarity. Their goal is sensible (to them) and their method makes sense as well. There's a touch of sympathy being added that I had not initially expected, which is always the most welcome. A little something something to humanize your monster always makes them so much more fun to interact with. I remain horribly delighted to find exactly where this tale finds its conclusion.
Also, the Spellseeker revision notes have gone out to the publisher. No word back from them yet. If I don't hear anything within a week, I'll knock on their door to make sure the request isn't getting shuffled under a rug. Can never be too careful.
Toodles.
April 9, 2025
Nailed It
Pardon me while I cackle with reckless abandon. My most recent proofing efforts for Spellseeker have finally come to a close. I am beyond happy to be done with the task. All that remains is to transpose edits I made in the hard-copy over to digital. That'll be work for future Matt. For now, I'm just going to bathe in the splendor of a long-overdue job well done.
Final touches on a laborious project are not the only thing that has hoisted my spirit's sails to the wind. I had one of those big "aha" moments for the next story. Where there had been a rough outline of villain to facilitate the story, there is now a menacing presence with some serious weight. A bevvy of fun interactions and details slipped into place soon after. We've gone from the barest of outlines to a proper through-line in the space of a day. Gods damn does it feel good when those pieces slot in just right.
Charting the course for the next project will get underway within the next couple of days. I'll probably take a day or two rest the ol' thinker and then dive in head first (per the usual). Excited to start building steam for this one. It's been quite a while since I've generated new copy/prose/whateverthehellsyouwannacallit. I'll also dabble in revisions for Keeper at the same time. Things are about to get hectic around here in the best possible way.
Toodles.
Final touches on a laborious project are not the only thing that has hoisted my spirit's sails to the wind. I had one of those big "aha" moments for the next story. Where there had been a rough outline of villain to facilitate the story, there is now a menacing presence with some serious weight. A bevvy of fun interactions and details slipped into place soon after. We've gone from the barest of outlines to a proper through-line in the space of a day. Gods damn does it feel good when those pieces slot in just right.
Charting the course for the next project will get underway within the next couple of days. I'll probably take a day or two rest the ol' thinker and then dive in head first (per the usual). Excited to start building steam for this one. It's been quite a while since I've generated new copy/prose/whateverthehellsyouwannacallit. I'll also dabble in revisions for Keeper at the same time. Things are about to get hectic around here in the best possible way.
Toodles.
April 2, 2025
Almost There
About a hundred more pages of Spellseeker before I get through the whole thing. Something I've found is that editing the paper version that was collecting dust on my book shelf is a lot easier than doing it at the computer. Not sure if it's the light or that I can do it wherever I want or what. The mental strain is just ten times lighter. It also affords me the novel experience of reading one of my stories on paper for the first time. I think I might make a point to do this with future books. Get my hands on a printed test copy and pick through for errors that way. Also makes for a fun souvenir when the work is said and done.
Nothing else to report on the book front. This editing is about all I'm doing right now. Saving my creative strength for when it won't be marred by working on Spellseeker. In the meantime, I'm still playing around with drawing. Moved from shading everything with graphite to adding proper color. I love watching something come to life as color gets fed onto the page. That same satisfying feeling I get when I finish drafting a chapter.
Toodles.
Nothing else to report on the book front. This editing is about all I'm doing right now. Saving my creative strength for when it won't be marred by working on Spellseeker. In the meantime, I'm still playing around with drawing. Moved from shading everything with graphite to adding proper color. I love watching something come to life as color gets fed onto the page. That same satisfying feeling I get when I finish drafting a chapter.
Toodles.
March 27, 2025
Who's a Good Boy?
Me. I'm a good boy.
While I have not finished the project, I've churned through over a hundred pages of Spellseeker since my last post. Over halfway done with the reproofing effort. I think what most makes this a challenge for me is how badly I want to tear the thing apart. Substantial content edits, improvements to language and pacing, culling scenes that serve little narrative purpose or condensing them into others... all things I can't really do without publisher approval. I have to content myself to just making grammar, style, and clarity edits. It's like I'm biting my tongue the whole time.
Chore-like tasks aside, I got to go watch Princess Mononoke in theaters yesterday. 4k restoration. That was a real treat, absolutely gorgeous. I'd not seen the movie in over a decade so it felt quite like seeing it for the first time again. And oh boy does that soundtrack hit different when it's coming through a substantial sound system. Was a wonderful opportunity I'm glad I got to take advantage of.
As for the what's next tracker, I've got two projects line-up once I finish pruning Spellseeker. The most obvious is that I'll begin properly storyboarding for story number seven. Still can't believe that number. Was only going to be three books when I first set out. Anyways, at the same time I'll start going back through book number three, Keeper, at the same time. That one will be less intensive on my nerves for two reasons. One being that I'll have complete freedom to make changes as I please. As for two, it's just a better story than Spellseeker. Should make it much m ore tolerable to work through.
Toodles.
While I have not finished the project, I've churned through over a hundred pages of Spellseeker since my last post. Over halfway done with the reproofing effort. I think what most makes this a challenge for me is how badly I want to tear the thing apart. Substantial content edits, improvements to language and pacing, culling scenes that serve little narrative purpose or condensing them into others... all things I can't really do without publisher approval. I have to content myself to just making grammar, style, and clarity edits. It's like I'm biting my tongue the whole time.
Chore-like tasks aside, I got to go watch Princess Mononoke in theaters yesterday. 4k restoration. That was a real treat, absolutely gorgeous. I'd not seen the movie in over a decade so it felt quite like seeing it for the first time again. And oh boy does that soundtrack hit different when it's coming through a substantial sound system. Was a wonderful opportunity I'm glad I got to take advantage of.
As for the what's next tracker, I've got two projects line-up once I finish pruning Spellseeker. The most obvious is that I'll begin properly storyboarding for story number seven. Still can't believe that number. Was only going to be three books when I first set out. Anyways, at the same time I'll start going back through book number three, Keeper, at the same time. That one will be less intensive on my nerves for two reasons. One being that I'll have complete freedom to make changes as I please. As for two, it's just a better story than Spellseeker. Should make it much m ore tolerable to work through.
Toodles.
March 20, 2025
Got There
My god -takes off sunglasses and stares off-screen- he's done it. The crazy sonuvabitch has done it.
So yeah, the draft for book six is now rewritten to my satisfaction and has been run through a spellchecker. It's been a long time since I've woken up and not had a current book to work on. Such a strange sensation after so long. Always feels like this, but I'd forgotten the sense of liberation. Anxiety is what comes next. I typically make myself "relax" for a week before starting on the next book.
That stretch of time is always colored by an odd mix of dread and giddy anticipation. Looking at a blank page again tends to feel intimidating. For the first few chapters, I get a nagging sense that things don't look right. This tends to drop off as more chapters get added and I'm reminded that the story has been here all along. It's just waiting for me to put it on the page is all. Story boarding comes before the draft, though, so that'll be the real next/first step.
Before any of that... I have not forgotten my promise. Now, in my week of "relaxation", is when I've committed myself to going back through Spellseeker. Dunno if I'll get in done over the course of the week or if it'll bleed over, but this task is getting done before the next book is properly plotted. Gotta stand my ground on this point or it will literally never get done. Once more unto the breach I stumble with my red pen. Charge!
Toodles.
So yeah, the draft for book six is now rewritten to my satisfaction and has been run through a spellchecker. It's been a long time since I've woken up and not had a current book to work on. Such a strange sensation after so long. Always feels like this, but I'd forgotten the sense of liberation. Anxiety is what comes next. I typically make myself "relax" for a week before starting on the next book.
That stretch of time is always colored by an odd mix of dread and giddy anticipation. Looking at a blank page again tends to feel intimidating. For the first few chapters, I get a nagging sense that things don't look right. This tends to drop off as more chapters get added and I'm reminded that the story has been here all along. It's just waiting for me to put it on the page is all. Story boarding comes before the draft, though, so that'll be the real next/first step.
Before any of that... I have not forgotten my promise. Now, in my week of "relaxation", is when I've committed myself to going back through Spellseeker. Dunno if I'll get in done over the course of the week or if it'll bleed over, but this task is getting done before the next book is properly plotted. Gotta stand my ground on this point or it will literally never get done. Once more unto the breach I stumble with my red pen. Charge!
Toodles.
March 12, 2025
Almost
I'm in the penultimate chapter of story six revisions. I'm so close now. I can see the light! Not that I don't enjoy working back through this. Getting something into solid shape now feels a whole hellsuva lot better than when I come back to it for publishing. All I've got left is these last two chapters, then a slight change in one of the earlier ones (chapter four I think). Once that's done I can clap my hands and move onto what's next.
Speaking of what's next... I think I'm just gonna wait to finish this draft before touching Spellseeker. That will become the new task at hand. Blast through it and be done. It's still weighing on my nerves, but I want to be able to focus entirely on story six before diving back in. It shouldn't take too long once I properly dig into again. Just a matter of making myself commit. ADHD loves it.
Speaking of health, blood pressure is getting better. Not quite to target yet. I probably still need to lose more weight before I can drop consistently out of hypertension one. That's the hope, at any rate. I'm of the opinion that chronic pain/anxiety are one of the underlying causes. That, too, will be tested by time and weight loss. Making a lot of my food at home has certainly done wonders on that front. Just have to keep fighting the good fight and hope I get paid dividends. Fingers crossed.
Toodles.
Speaking of what's next... I think I'm just gonna wait to finish this draft before touching Spellseeker. That will become the new task at hand. Blast through it and be done. It's still weighing on my nerves, but I want to be able to focus entirely on story six before diving back in. It shouldn't take too long once I properly dig into again. Just a matter of making myself commit. ADHD loves it.
Speaking of health, blood pressure is getting better. Not quite to target yet. I probably still need to lose more weight before I can drop consistently out of hypertension one. That's the hope, at any rate. I'm of the opinion that chronic pain/anxiety are one of the underlying causes. That, too, will be tested by time and weight loss. Making a lot of my food at home has certainly done wonders on that front. Just have to keep fighting the good fight and hope I get paid dividends. Fingers crossed.
Toodles.
March 5, 2025
Still Here
Last week got away from me a bit. My head's been spinning with all the doctor appointments and the blood draw and such and so forth. Having an anxious mind intent on researching details ahead of time does my nerves zero favors. We doubled the dosage on the blood pressure meds, made a couple more lifestyle changes, and I'm waiting to hear what they say about blood test results. I'll just be over here drumming a rut into the desk with my fingers.
Revisions for story number six continue, on a brighter note. Got through an entire chapter yesterday. Always a great feeling when I can blast through something like that in one go. Also helps when it's a chapter that doesn't need to be completely rewritten. There are a few substantial edits yet to come, but I should mostly be coasting at this point. Having it done by the end of March feels like a solid goal.
As far as Spellseeker edits... well, literally everything else feels more appealing. Fell off that bandwagon real hard. The most troubling part is that I haven't read anything else since that project started. I'm hoping to churn through some of it soon so I can get that weight off my neck. Pulls my day down a little bit every time I look at the to-do list, but I won't remove it until the job is done.
Toodles.
Revisions for story number six continue, on a brighter note. Got through an entire chapter yesterday. Always a great feeling when I can blast through something like that in one go. Also helps when it's a chapter that doesn't need to be completely rewritten. There are a few substantial edits yet to come, but I should mostly be coasting at this point. Having it done by the end of March feels like a solid goal.
As far as Spellseeker edits... well, literally everything else feels more appealing. Fell off that bandwagon real hard. The most troubling part is that I haven't read anything else since that project started. I'm hoping to churn through some of it soon so I can get that weight off my neck. Pulls my day down a little bit every time I look at the to-do list, but I won't remove it until the job is done.
Toodles.
