Normally when I do these blog posts I like to have some sort of theme to focus on. If you’ve read any of the past ones, then you know what I mean. I’ve said a couple of times in past posts that the whole point of keeping this blog running now is because it may useful/helpful or interesting to somebody in the future to be able to look back at what I was thinking during the early days. Especially since I know I would find it interesting to read what was going through the minds of authors I enjoy reading before the days they were published.

I, of course, recognize the extreme presumption that is inherent in that statement–the almost arrogant belief that I will eventually be published. But I really think you have to move forward with the belief, hope and faith that if you work for something that it will happen. Otherwise what’s the point of doing anything?

Anyway, I bring this all up as a means of simply communicating that I don’t have a theme in mind today. I’ve got a little notepad file of things I’d like to write about, but a lot of them are topics that I’d almost like to save until I feel like I’ve got a little bit more relevance. After all, who is going to take a blog post about elements of story telling that aren’t done well in Stranger Things seriously from some nobody? I know I wouldn’t, and I don’t expect anybody else to.

So instead I want to give an update on Penumbra’s progress. I’ve officially started the second major rewrite and I expect it to go very quickly. I’ve got the story ironed out to just about where it needs to be and I’ve managed to figure out a good outline to follow. I’m not really an outliner, but I’ve reached the point of the story where I felt like it was necessary. That actually sounds like a great idea for the next blog post, Outlining vs Discovery writing. I’ll jot it down.

I expect to have a functional draft finished in January. I’ll send it out to beta readers and then… get started on another project I guess. Either 3 or my untitled YA thriller series. I’ll just have to see where I’m leaning when the time comes. I also need to put some work into designing my website, I haven’t done anything except write blog posts. If you’re reading this you almost certainly haven’t seen the website in its current state, so just know that it’s very bland and drab.

In any case, I need to go write/revise–I’ve got a deadline to keep!

Disclaimer – Lest I be eviscerated, I should note that I’m about halfway through Stranger Things (on Netflix for those few who don’t know) and enjoying it immensely. For the most part I think it’s very tightly written, but it’s not perfect, as nothing is. It’s funny how when something is exceptionally well written how glaringly obvious tiny flaws are. But more on that another day.