a quick September / October check-in · 9:39pm Sep 21st, 2021
First off, not dead! That's a start!
Second off, got vaxxed, which may or may not have played a part in the whole not being dead thing. Aftermath of the first jab was hell. Second one apparently was too, according to my upper arm. Otherwise, all's good!
Third off, I had been pretty busy these past several months, both on-site and off-site. Did manage to do a couple of horsewriting-related stuff though, even if it had been relatively sparse. Hoping my recent burst could give me the drive to work on the good stuff I have coming down the pipe.
Now, time for a brief-ish chronological rundown:
WritingSpirit · 10k words · 211 viewsMovement II. Ossa Aeternum Oritur
God, this chapter took way too long to get out. It had been sitting in my GDocs for a good while, with most of the time spent on writing and rewriting and scrapping and rewriting it. Mainly the nighttime conversation between AJ and Sugar Belle, that part was a chore to get down!
I think it's safe to say that this might be the most complicated story in the series thus far. Probably will be the most complicated one for the foreseeable future too, if the outlines of the next several entries I had drafted in my head are of any indication.
Right now, a lot of the work at the moment is just setting up for the really insane stuff to come. At the same time, however, I also want this to be an exploration into the Apple family's individual circumstances / feelings post-Granny Smith's passing, so this is less of an Applejack-centric story than it is a story about every one of them combined.
The complication here lies in the fact that the horror stuff will tie into all of that as well. Fortunately, it's crystal clear to me what inner abominations Applejack, Big Mac and Sugar Belle are gonna have to face over the course of the story. Apple Bloom's troubles remains elusive, though I'm sure I'll figure it out as I go.
Might bump up the rating to Mature, considering how graphic some of it's gonna be. Will see how it goes.
I know the ending already though. Let's just say our friend Nightingale from Cascades isn't a lone bird, so to speak.
WritingSpirit · 3.2k words · 62 5 · 1.3k views
And now, for something completely different.
This was a pretty back-to-basics story for me. I wrote it as part of an hour-long speedwrite with the folks over at the Quills and Sofas Speedwriting Group. Unlike with my previous published speedwrite with the group, Dither, most of it's remained unchanged. Only added a few sentences here and there. Kinda happy that I could churn something like that out in a semi-short period of time.
Frankly, I didn't want to publish Featherweight initially, mostly because it's pretty much a simpler derivation from the drama stories I'm normally doing now. In the end, I guess simplicity isn't so bad anyway. Would've loved to delve further into their relationship, but I quickly realised I couldn't do it without changing it into something far longer in the process. Considering all the stuff I have in the works, as well as the time I have to spend them, that would probably be the last thing I need right now.
WritingSpirit · 8.1k words · 20 1 · 263 viewsChapter 3
Currently working on this one now as you are reading this. Unless you're reading this when it's out already, in which case, why are you even here, none of this is anything new, go read it already!
Can't say much yet, except that we'll probably start looking more into Fuschia and how Cheerilee is going to fit into this picture. Maybe a look into their first lesson together too, if it doesn't get too long. There's a couple ideas I have locked away in my head that are gonna come out for this story after a long time. Hoping they all come together rather neatly near the end.
Side-note, making an educational curriculum is hard.
We Rest In The Penumbra
I might change the cover art soon.
Penumbra has been at the forefront of my mind for quite some time. It's a beast of the story to write and unpack. I initially planned on releasing it by dripping chapter after chapter leading up to Halloween, though as it stands currently, Editor Me believes it is not feasibly possible without changing it into a lifeless shell of its former self.
I do really wanna get this out. It's probably the story I'm most excited for everyone to read. Probably my densest story yet as well.
I could probably work on it to be out by December if I halt everything else and focus my energies onto it. Maybe have the release schedule coincide with Luna Day 2021. Fingers crossed.
And I think that's about it! Things look to be a little more productive these past few days. Hopefully this newfound energy will carry me onward.
That's all for the check-in! WritingSpirit, signing out!
hooray for vaccination! :)
So just make a NON-EDUCATIONAL curriculum instead! It's much easier.