I have no idea how my schedule is going to work once I start at my new day job. Let’s just hope I can get some writing done alongside shifts.

Most of this week has been spent brainstorming on the potential of a graphic novel alongside my other projects as well as painting through the days.

I’ve been trying out a few cartoony styles, varying from not-quite-anime to not-quite-realism, and I haven’t really found one I’m comfortable with yet. I do want to tell this story (it’s one that’s been in my head for the last four or five years), but a graphic novel might just be outside my talent. Or else, I’ve just spent too much time working on realism that I need far more practice with comic styles before I can put it together. Maybe it’ll end up more like a heavily illustrated novel than a comic, only time will tell.

I’m going to be out of town Friday to Sunday(ish), so I’m trying to get the Suntamer painting finished before I leave. I think I’ve been working on this on and off for about a month now, with something like fifteen hours put in and probably about halfway complete.

Even if I do manage to finish the painting before I leave, I doubt I’ll have time to put together the tutorial. That’s a project for next week. I’m planning for the tutorial to mostly cover colour tips, detail, and textures, but that might change. I’m absolutely not qualified to discuss anatomy just yet, as I tend to spend half my time fiddling with my sketch until it looks at least almost properly proportioned. We all have our strengths.

I’m sad to say I haven’t been working on Summeryear much at all lately. My creativity tends to come in bursts for each of my projects, so once this Summeryear slump ends I’ll zoom through it. I suppose I’m a bit of a binge writer.

Just a quick update to show I am still alive and working.
Cheers.

Onto the topic.

I’m working on two novels right now.  That statement makes me prouder than anything else true that I have to say.  Saying that I’ve finished the rough draft and an edit on one of them doesn’t even compare, because that doesn’t imply whether or not I’m still working.  But I am, I’m working very hard.  This is all new to me, and I’m sure with practice I’ll be working with substantially more efficiency and skill someday; but I am working hard.

I’m going to give it another week for Summeryear beta readers to get back to me.  Likely on September 7th, then, I’ll start compiling my notes and spend another couple weeks editing.

That edit will put Rusalka* on hold, because to get the entire edit finished within a couple of weeks it’ll probably need my full attention.  Until the 7th, I’m working on outlining and brainstorming for Rusalka.  Occasionally thinking about what I can do for Summeryear without all the notes together, but mostly leaving that at peace for now.

Rusalka exists in a very fun state of outlining right now. I’m getting more and more into the story myself and it’s evolving at a solid pace. Until I start writing it out, however, there still isn’t really much to say about it specifically. Once I start, I’ll update regularly with word counts and comments on how it’s all coming along. I’ll do that here and on my Twitter.

*Czech-English translation: undine.  English-NonfolkloreobsessedEnglish translation: water spirit.