Just a note

Due to the fact that I have actually finished the first draft of Calibre, and don't really care too much to talk about the mundane editing process which I'm yet to begin, I'm probably going to start using this like an actual blog. With that said, onward...

Last night, tired impulse had me consider trying to do something a little more experimental with my time before beginning another large novel project. Funnily enough, though, the idea may be simpler when it comes to the storytelling side of it, but its complexity in structure will probably be enough to put me off the idea the moment I try to start it. Yet... that's what I thought about writing a novel less than six months ago, so I might as well talk about it.

At the moment, it's titled Erin Decides - Erin being an intentionally unisex name, as the character's identity to the reader is pretty irrelevant. It is going to be a create your own adventure. There's not really a better way to put it. And I'm well aware that, if you are my age - a nineties kid - your mind has automatically presented you (hopefully) fond memories of the CYOA Goosebumps books. That's not really the kind of thing I will be going for, though.

Instead of presenting the reader with a choice at the end of segments, Erin Decides will instead be a 'flowing' narrative - essentially a free-flowing narrative - in which the reader interacts via 'denial'. Because the reader is not Erin, Erin is able to make their own decisions. But you can deny said decisions. In context of a digital version, which will probably be the only kind, decisions are distinguished from the rest of the body of the story, like Erin doing something as simple as pouring themselves a cup of coffee. You can deny this decision, and thus the story changes accordingly. The idea is that the initial decisions made by the reader will create completely different scenarios (which means there will be no single plot for the experiment).

This will result in a huge web of possibilities - every single decision in the project will affect the story in some way, from obvious things like somehow lagging Erin's progress; to more complex interactions, most probably with other people, that will go on to echo throughout the narrative and affect it in ways that you will not realise unless you do it all again with minor changes. Yes, it is going to be fairly difficult to make, and I intend to do planning. I'm not particularly optimistic about it actually working, but it's an experiment! What's there to lose? Free time I'm currently spending on nothing, really.

Back to Calibre briefly... at the moment, I'm not touching it. I've decided to let it cool off before getting stuck into the editing. Plus, I would like to kick start another project, whether it be Erin Decides or Time & Place or Surrogate. Whatever happens, really. But I hope to brush off all of the errors and course-correct oddities in Calibre before my birthday. *shrugs* I'm not really rushed any more, but I still would like to move onward all the same.

First Draft

On Tuesday the 12th of July, I completed the final chapter of Calibre, thus finishing the first draft as a whole. I began on the 15th of February and aimed to have it completed by the 15th of August. ^_^

So, this weekend, I will officially begin editing, which I'm slightly reluctant to get it rolling, but I'll definitely regret not doing so if I put it off. I doubt I will be updating this with Calibre-related stuff for a while, so forgive neglect. However, I will update with any projects that happen to come up!

This Must Be It

Chapter Fifteen, This Must Be It, is complete. I started it this morning and finished it about five minutes ago, with several breaks (mostly spent browsing the internet and eating). This is the fastest turnaround I've ever managed.

This means there is one chapter to go before the first draft should be completed... Shit.

Chapter Fifteen focuses on... actually, no, I won't go there. :P

Somewhere Only We Know

Chapter Fourteen, Somewhere Only We Know, is complete. It's one of the shorter chapters in the story, but is still over 6'000 words. It is one of the darker chapters of the story, taking place after C13 (at first about an hour after it before returning to the immediate events after 13). It contains one of the most important revelations in the book, plus the long-awaited emergence of what Victor has described many times as "something bad".

I will be starting C15 tonight probably, which is (based on what I intend) titled This Must Be It. And this is it. C15 and 16 are the final chapters of Cailbre. Most of it is going to be wrapped up before C16, which will focus on consequence.

I'll probably find myself hopelessly procrastinating like I did with Chapter 14 out of fear that I will handle it poorly, but alas, I am still on schedule! C14 is due on the 15th, and it is the 10th. ;)

First draft should be finished by September, which is what I've hoped for for a while now (perhaps even August, depending how confident I am the moment I begin C15).

WISH ME LUCK.