State of the book as of Jan. 2025
Pause
Hi everyone. This is a big blog post.
I spent a lot of money kitting myself with a new laptop (Framework 13), a new keyboard (Keychron K4 Pro Brown), a new trackpad (the magic trackpad, which is absolutely awesome and works out of the box in Linux).
I also upgraded my automatic syntax, context and grammar corrector and spellchecker.
I world-built a lot in the last few weeks, I have the armaments figured out, and half the FTL drive done. I need to think a bit more on FTL and figure out relative speed (which will be vague as to try to avoid issues, I learned from Star Trek).
I’m going to pause the novel for the next 20 to 30 days until I receive the new keyboard though. I’ll continue world-building, I’ll continue thinking about it but no more writing of Chapter V for now. It’s gonna be a short pause, it’s not like I was rushing to publish this book or anything I want a polished stone not a raw diamond.
I’m kinda sure no one reads this blog anyway, but if you do, expect a return in 20 to 30 days and a chapter one to two weeks after that. I’ll publish an update when I start to write again and of course I’ll continue to write my usual chapter news in the blog.
Progress
Everything I say here is to take with a heavy sodium chloride grain, I write at my own pace, for my own enjoyment, so no promise! I said last time I am about 25% done on the writing and first round of editing.
I expect I will have finished the novel and first round of editing in about half a year (up to a year though, we never know). Then I’ll have a look and harmonise the stuff (because the writing style may change in a year and I’d like to stay consistent, thankfully I have my notes for the plot to stay consistent on the plot).
After that I’ll send it to a few beta readers, most of them are native English speakers as well as seasoned writers, so they’ll be able to spot issues within the book, writing style, plot and story-telling. I cannot estimate how much time this step will take, particularly because it depends on availability of the beta-readers, but I expect it to last no less than a quarter of a year.
Then it’ll be the final touches and the chapters will start being published to
- ScribbleHub
- AO3
- RoyalRoad
At a rate of one a week, for sixteen weeks until the epilogue, the e-book will be available the whole time, at a floating price, you name your own price above €5. Purchases will be on itch and Ko-Fi, no Amazon overlord.
The physical books may be coming once the novel will be fully published on SH, AO3, and RR. It will likely be a small run.
Art
I started talks to commission the cover and back-cover art, I expect to have them before the novel starts its publication.
I currently have no ideas about character’s arts, ship’s art, etc. I want to have them but it will depend on funds and the publication of the book lines up with me buying an apartment, so I’ll likely be low on funds.
I will keep you updated.