Weekly Writing Check-In: The Return

Thought I should bring this back from the blog topic grave. Until a few months ago I used to "check in" every Sunday to talk about how my writing was going. Back then it was mostly a self-motivation type of thing. The more I did it, the less I needed it to be motivated to write. Since doing this full-time it's just become natural for me to write anywhere between 1-3k words a day. (The rest of my work day is editing, outlining, formatting, marketing, etc. as necessary depending on the stage of a story's development.) But I've noticed lately that my blog has become a bit... sparse. Outside of release announcements and sales I don't seem to talk about much anymore. That's mostly because I am usually so focused on work and "real life" that I forget maybe readers want to read other things as well on my blog.

So I think I'll try to start this  up again. Not as a motivator to get me writing, but as a way for me to tell you about my current WIPs.

Right now I am working on what will be the first RR release of the year. Technically it's a part of the RR series, although it doesn't focus on Reina and Aiko as we are all used to. Instead I am letting the minor characters Kaori and Haruka have the whole spotlight by giving them a novel about their entire relationship thus far - from their first meeting until "present day" in the RR universe. That's about three years I am covering in one novel. Right now the thing I am struggling with the most is the pacing - I mean, three years! The longest a RR novel has covered is about a few months. Definitely less than a year. It's a new change of pace I have to plan and write, and I admit it's been a challenge!

The other thing that is new for me is that I am literally rewriting some scenes from SEIKOU and KOIBUMI. Literally. Rewriting. From another character's POV (there's the rub.) This book will cover the breakup that occurs offscreen in SEIKOU, leading Reina and Haruka to first meet. The difference is that I am rewriting it from Haruka's POV! It's both mindnumbingly horrendous and super fun at the same time. I have to find ways to use the same actions and dialogue to give a fresh spin. It's something I've never done before!

All of this, though, is happening while there was a bit of an allergy blitz in my house this week. Our Xmas tree finally bit the dust and released a score of allergens that left me bedridden for a couple of days - massive sore throat, congestion, and terrible fatigue. (Fun fact: I was hospitalized as a small child because of a Christmas tree allergy, so yay!) I've mostly grown out of SEVERE allergies to the, well, world outside (if it has pollen, I am allergic.) But this was so bad that it felt like I was a kid again. So I am  a bit behind right now... but uh, at least I'm caught up in my 3DS games?

I'm gonna take this clear brain of mine and get back to the some serious writing. And some serious Pokemon battling, because my work reward system is totally awesome.