The War of Memory Project

Last answer of the year!

Question 113: Looking back on 2016, how was your year in terms of writing?

Well, beyond the standard ups and downs (such as losing all will to live during the desert summer and then losing some extra will to live in October and November), I did fairly well writing-wise — got one book completed and started on another, even though publication for the first book is delayed until 2017. I kept a pretty steady pace all year, and am starting to actually feel like I know what I’m doing, and that I’m qualified to go back to some older work and fix the problems that have nagged me for ages. I shouldn’t tinker with my older stuff as much as I do, but as long as this first series is still being written, I can’t help it; sometimes I have a revelation and I need to correct old bad information. But that’s fine. After all, I’m still just self-published. These books can remain living, changing works as long as I need them to (though I do believe the large-scale changes are now done).

Adding to this, since I sent out the answers in mid-November: I also finished NaNoWriMo for the first time, because it coincided with starting the rough draft of my fifth book.  In previous years, I’ve always been in the middle of writing or editing, so didn’t want to take time to do a side-project just for NaNo; I tried a time or two but they all fizzled out quick.  So I’m proud that I got 50k+ on book 5 in November, even if I only did 30k in December.  (I blame the holidays and that video game I got myself for Xmas.)

More: Authors Answer 113 – Writing in 2016

Sooooo.  Not that this is a spoiler or anything, but I do have a certain…tendency in my writing.

Question 111: How do you (or would you) feel when you kill a main character?

First, I laugh maniacally.  Second, I think of how my beta readers (and then my actual readers) will take it.  Then I laugh maniacally again, while trying to figure out how best to defend myself from irate friends/coworkers/fans.  …Seriously, I kill a lot of characters.

That said, I hate nothing more than a pointless death, even if pointlessness is a large part of realism.  And while I also hate the trope of people coming back from the dead all willy-nilly like in the superhero comics of yesteryear, death on Halci isn’t always as permanent as it looks — what with the skinchangers’ spirits, the elementals’ primordials and the wraiths’ bodiless immortality, among other things.  So death is an ending, but it’s not always The End.

More: Authors Answer 111 – Killing Off Main Characters

Question 107: What are you working on now? Any works in progress?

Currently I’m waiting on final beta feedback, final review and cover art for my 4th book, The Bloodied Army. By the time you read this, I should also be busy writing the rough draft of the 5th book, which I think will be titled The Drowning Dark — but don’t take that as permanent, I’m still considering my options.

Post-question update: As of today, I’m up to 36k on my rough draft attempt for Book 5 — which is only three chapters out of a projected twenty-plus, heh.  I also did 3k on a side project.  Can I do the other 11k in 6 days?  …Well, I’ll try!

More: Authors Answer 107 – Our Works in Progress