Where my fiction is at
Since it’s the start of the year, and I’ve been discussing what happened with the move and everything, I thought I would go through my fiction and discuss where I’m at with it all. Not just for anyone listening, but for myself and my own brain. As a reminder.
As I told a fellow writer about a month or so ago, when she posted some fun links on articles she is writing for her world, I haven’t even focused much in my fiction world in the past year. I’d had similar ideas to do for my work and worlds.
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What first comes to mind for me is The Guardian of Life world. I was working on a website for it where I could post information on the characters and the world, sort of like what I was doing with my Dark Moon Dynasty Universe, but post it more like one would find in the world.
To explain better, I’ll mention the author I mentioned above, and another author friend that I have who also does a similar thing for his world. Shout outs for them as much as I admire and respect the work they put in for their worlds. Like them, I am a nerd when it comes to world creations and wanting to do more for my worlds. I think of Pottermore for Harry Potter, or the Star Wars franchise, and others. Lord of the Rings, I could go on.
The point being that with those worlds they become so much more vast and richer because we’re able to really delve into them as fans, and as the author and/or creators behind the worlds do those things, they gain inspiration too. It becomes a loop. I know this because I live that same thing. When I create something for my world out of a spur of the moment thought, or image, whatever it could be, I gain inspiration.
It’s why I always encourage readers and fans to talk to the author about the world. No, we’re not likely to give you information on upcoming parts of the world that we want to keep to ourselves, and we’re not likely to use your thoughts and ideas per se, but having those conversations can ignite a thought or idea. As with creating merchandise. As I’ve mentioned long ago, when I was creating Dark Illusions - the first and original book - it was me talking with readers in the old Amazon message boards they’d have just for authors on the books, that inspired me to turn that into a series. Well, then as we learned, I worked on Don’t Go Far, and that suddenly connected to Dark Illusions, as much as Blood By Night, and the rest is history. It became a world. It became an enriched and deep well of secrets being uncovered, layers to the characters, depths I never considered.
And where did it start? One question in particular around Kober. Like what happened to him, or it was another character. I just remember one of those questions, and now the world has 12 novels, and 3 shorts? 4? I think it’s at 15 stories so that’d be 3 shorts. I’ll find the image for it and post it on the blog post for this if you’re listening to the audio, and not reading.
Okay, so as I mentioned before. I’m only going to mention one of the authors because when I went to find the link and information for my other friend, it seems he abandoned his site for the world, so it’d be a waste to mention it. But the one currently working on her world, and I know she won’t abandon it anytime soon if she ever does, is R.M. Galardo. Her site is https://www.rmgalardo.com/ and the book site is linked there, but it’s Fulton County Books & News, and the site is https://www.fultoncountybooks.com/. Definitely a site to check out if you want to see an author in action, having fun, and doing something similar to what I have been attempting to accomplish for all of my worlds.
With Dark Moon Dynasty Universe, I have been slowly adding character information and information in general like a wiki would do, but that needless to say, takes time. Because I don’t want to just write information, but have it all linked, and then have everything cataloged. If I had help that’d be awesome, but it’s just me so it obviously takes a lot of time to accomplish when the plate be full already. And my mind rebels when I try to stick to one thing for long hours at a time. Why it’s better anyway for me to pick at work.
Not fiction as much as the extra curricular things. With my Priestess Chronicles, I plan to also have that world be huge - probably surpassing everything with Dark Moon Dynasty Universe. DMDU is my paranormal romance/dark fantasy world by the way. You’ll find a bit more erotica style aspects in it, vampires, werewolves, ghosts, witches, enchantresses, and occult-ish vibes.
Dark Moon Dynasty Universe is a world that, like my others, is still very much ongoing. It’s mostly when I get ideas for shorts, but I did make a list of ideas for me to pursue for shorts. Using a course I went through. How to come up with the ideas, and it spurred ideas for that world. I wanna say it was a Holly Lisle course but honestly I can’t recall now. A lot of the fiction I was working on, or playing around with, whether for editing or ideas, is taking work to remember and get my mind back to. That’s what happens when we step out of our worlds for a bit. I know a lot of authors who deal with that.
I think of the quote from Ray Bradbury.
“You must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.”
― Ray Bradbury, Zen in the Art of Writing: Releasing the Creative Genius Within You
Stepping away from writing for a certain amount of time can make it incredibly difficult to get back to it. I used to discuss that on my blog when I was writing in multiple books at a time. I would transition one to the other to the other. When I did the weekend writing, I would write one book one weekend, or one day, the next the next day or weekend. Trouble with that one was that I wasn’t writing during the week. I was only writing on the weekend, and that’s the day my mind and body wanna settle. More so now. Sundays I try to rest now. Completely, as much as I am capable of.
Which means that I would be writing, and even though I put in the amount I do now when I do my Monday through Friday writing for one hour, it was hard to get back into the stories when I’d leave one. It’d take me a bit to get back into it. I still have that when I write Monday through Friday, and skip the weekend, but that isn’t as severe as not writing for a good week. I may, or may not, try now to write also on Saturdays. See if I can now that my mom isn’t around to make me feel wrong, off, bad, whatever for writing on the weekend and you know, not “working,” or doing something else. Or, feeling pressured by her for sitting for a bit. When in reality I never sat still long, and still don’t.
However, I don’t know if I can writing on the weekend just because I speak often on working with my natural rhythm, and it could just be my mind anyway not wanting to write also on the weekend. I was going to try doing a short on the weekend, or shorts plural, but again I’m taking it one day at a time and slowly working back into the fiction. This is another step. Better taking it slow than jumping deep and wearing out earlier.
My mind isn’t the same as it was many years ago, nor my body, nor energy or stamina. I’ve said it before, but if I sit still too long, or am up on my feet for too long, both can cause issues. I have to work and balance it all. I’ll get too stiff, feel too much pain, and so much more.
Back to my Dark Moon Dynasty Universe. I am not done with that world. I wasn’t when I said I kept feeling like Kat had more to say, or whatever I had said back then. I kept feeling like there was a bit more to it, then finally Kat not only was Kat and had something to say, but when the Queen perks you listen, and trouble ensues. I was able to create that last series for the world, Eternals Souls Universe series.
And when I was writing that series, I realized the world . . . isn’t done. No, I’m not necessarily adding another series to the world. However, I suddenly had a flash as I was working on the edits, or writing it - again can’t recall, been too long - where my brain went - ping! - and I got this idea that I was going to be pursuing a next generation. The kids of the Dark Moon Dynasty Universe will have something to say one day. Kylarra is technically a kid of that world, but we’re talking about a kid of hers and Verrick’s. Multiple? I mean no telling with those two that can’t keep their hands off one another.
So that world is far from done. Again, I don’t necessarily think it’ll be another series, but if so, it’ll be the DMDU Next Gen series or something. Sean will be Sean and get himself into a mess with Kat I’m sure. The main characters will make a cameo appearance, they just won’t be the main focus for that series. It’d be funny if that one too became a world. That’d be interesting.
My Priestess Chronicles is the world I am currently working in and on. Writing I mean especially. When I get my brain and habit back into writing, I will be working on that one. That is my Fantasy Adventure for adults/Fantasy world. I liked the idea of a world like Harry Potter is for teens and young adults, but one for adults. I don’t mean a copy of it, or inspiration more than the theme of it is built most for young adults and it’s more of a fantasy adventure and exploration theme than anything else. So don’t go into that world thinking it’s based off it or otherwise. I started the world long before I watched the Harry Potter movies, or ever read the books, so it’s purely the world and theme of how it is for people, less inspiration in general. Easier for me to describe it that way than pick it apart because then people get an idea of where I’m coming from with how I want the vibe of the world.
Vibe I guess is another good descriptor for it.
That world is going to have all sorts of original characters I create, a lot of fantasy aspects, could be called high fantasy I guess? And it’s one I may delve deeper into for parts of the world as much as the main series/world. Meaning that I may create languages in time, and all sorts of different things like that. History articles, news bulletins for the world, it could be anything. I don’t have specifics, those are just things off the top of my head. It will be items that fans/readers can delve deeper and explore more into the world, creating a more realistic atmosphere and ability to live within that world, making it even more real.
Where I left off with writing that one was the 3rd book, Pitosakiry - Drakkol Dangers. I just checked, and I’m at around 95,000 words. I remember saying that as with the others in that world at that point, I was more than likely going to go far longer. And bear in mind that I put words in during edits. I draft write when I write, which means a lot more of the details are added in edits. I’m not used to writing that long either, but the books just flow. So that book will be the one that I get back into writing as my main focus when I navigate back into doing it daily.
As I mentioned in the last post, I am in a position now where I do fortunately have so much that’s eased off my mind that my brain does want to play in that world. It’s just finding the time that works now, and sitting down to do it, building the habit back into me. I can’t expect that everything will just work the same. The routine I’d developed worked for me at the old house, and around when my mom was sleeping, the dogs were, my brother often was, and I had that hour. I have to find that same mix now. When the dogs quiet and don’t need me, when I am not wanting use my get up and go to unpack and put stuff away or ready it to donate, and when brother is sleeping. OR I have to figure out if he’s up, where I want to work. Which is another in the mix. Can I write in the living room, my room, office? Where best will work to help me?
I do have a desk, but the center where the chair went, is where I have Lucy’s dog bed now. Perfect cave for her as I don’t have a chair there. I’ll see if I can find a picture of it I took to show my brother. It’ll be on the blog if I do share it. (Editing note - I found one of Kona, not sure where the Lucy one went.)
I struggle with how I sit to work best too because the desk hurts my body. Lounging on the bed was how I last did it because the pain was too severe for me to do much. I can move way easier compared to then, but even compared to last year, but I still have to be careful. Many may underestimate that as a reason they can’t write too. The body has to be comfortable, and you in a position that nothing can pull your mind away from the writing. For however long you need. Why I’ve said, if you can only find a minute on the toilet, and have a space that works - do it.
What’s something I’ve been considering? Mobile writing. When I had to give up my Microsoft 365 subscription, I ended up going back to WPS Office. Why I liked that one, and use it still, is because long ago it was the closest in behavior and look to Microsoft for me, and that’s one small thing that also can throw me off. If I use a program that doesn’t work well. I have tried Open Office, Libre, so many of them. For me, WPS Office is perfect for all sorts of things I need right away, it works well for me, I’m not having to piddle and adjust a million things to get it working right, and the biggest bonus of all? It not only has an app, but it syncs between a cloud and the laptop and mobile.
I think I have mentioned that another way I was trying to spur my fiction mind was playing with these AI chat character games, apps, whatever you want to call them. They’re basically a character in a world the creator comes up with, and the AI follows that storyline and character attributes. However a warning and extra to mention if you find any and wanna play with them? First, if you’re not taking advantage of the free editing or regenerating options, you’re going to get a very canned response, and boring. Also, if you don’t direct the AI in asterisks with thoughts, ideas, narration like an author, it’ll go where it wants to create a story that it thinks you want to play in, and with. Often, it doesn’t matter if it’s a really strong family based prompt, it will go crude, vulgar, or whatever, if the NSFW filter isn’t on.
I prefer the ones that have no filter because the mind goes sexual when hearing that, but it also limits anything that could potentially be harmful or otherwise. As in, murder, abuse, even minor aspects of pain, which makes the AI follow a strict order of writing that can make it beyond boring and super PC. This will sound weird, but if the AI can kill me, and I can die? And the AI keeps going with the story? That to me is a fun one to play with.
While playing with those stories - that honestly remind me of playing story and text based old DOS games or PC games in general like Skullduggery - it hit me. I linked to information on Skullduggery on my blog, but the link I added, you can actually play the game in the browser. Check it out. You'll see what I used to play, and why I love the AI Chat storyteller games. Hit me the other day, those are so similar, and it's why I was drawn to them, and enjoy them.
It’s easy and perking my mind to write with those characters/AI. I have to be cautious of how long I use them strictly for the wrist pain and shoulder pain in the right arm I get. However, I started to think about trying to write stories that way. I was going to try doing the blogs too. Since I can use the mobile WPS office, sync it to cloud, and then open it and edit or save via the laptop. Or the reverse. When I’m working on a story, I could ensure it’s got a copy in the cloud that I can work back and forth on until done. I sometimes did that for editing with Microsoft, but it was hard because the Word mobile app could be slow and buggy to work with.
Not sure if that’s improved as I haven’t used it in over a year, but the WPS office is definitely better for that. I have used WPS since it came out I think. Back then I hadn’t ventured into the subscription Microsoft arena, or Word’s mobile app wasn’t available, I’m not sure. I only remember needing a mobile writing program to work with and WPS was what I discovered to use.
So, if I have to switch to a mobile writing to get myself to really get back into writing fiction, I will. Having to lug out the laptop may be a burden my mind rebels at. Yes . . . such a weird small thing, can be what’s messing with me. It’s why I challenge myself, and try to switch things up whenever. I never have a timeline, and I never know what I’ll do, but I do change how I do things when I feel stagnant in some way. This could be that, and could be all I need to help my mind. Make it feel like it’s playing again by using the mobile.
Another project I was working on was Hope of the Future. When I first wrote the book, it wasn’t tied into a world. Then, I tied it into The Guardian of Life world. The Guardian of Life world is my Sci-Fantasy world, with a touch of horror. Science Fiction with Fantasy elements and Horror as well if you don't understand that term, or haven't heard it. It means I have leeway for the science fiction aspects, it's not hard core sci fi. It's kinda got space opera elements too if you like that genre.
Not having written Hope for that world, and having expected her to be a singular novel around Hope meant it wasn’t written for that world per se, so a lot of deeper connections and details are missing from that book. I can dissect it to discover where. I was writing down the outline for it, and going through it like I would any new idea, as I am the Priestess Chronicles, to dissect it and decipher all the unanswered questions that are in it, but could be played with. That weren’t for the rest of the books.
Then rewrite it and create a more fleshed out book that ties more appropriately into the world. Anyone who has bought the book WILL get the chance to get a free copy. Just email me, or use the contact form on my website, which is the same thing and ask for one. If you bought the book before, you’ll get the updated copy free, but Kindle should do it automatically too when I re-release the update. Most I think will. If it doesn’t, again, just contact me upon release. I have zero clue when I will get to it, and zero clue for any update so bear in mind this could be years down the line. No telling.
That’s what I’m doing also with the Priestess Chronicles. I never published the world, but I did write it a long time ago. So I work on each outline as I write the book. I do it actually before, and after. I have the original outline I use to create a new one, but then when I write the book I have so much new information within it that I’ve added, I need a new outline that matches it if I changed a lot, so that in edits or when I need to refer back to something, I have that current outline to do so. It’s far easier to look at an outline than a 100,000 plus word book to find information. AI needs to catalog my work so I can just ask a weird random question of it to find the answer within that world, or my work, lol. That’d be useful instead of sifting through millions of words for one sentence that I may not remember wording of, but need it for a quote maybe.
I thiiinkkk that’s it for all the projects I was working on, at least that I can recall right now off the top of my head, and what I am going to attempt to try. To see if I can write, I’m going to open my latest project - Pitosakiry, on the laptop, then sync it to the WPS Cloud, then open on the mobile app, and go from there. We will see how it works out.
First, I have to read all the books and get my brain back into where I was at, the outline to follow, and actually remember my thought processes. Why I advise writing that down whenever you finish a piece of writing for the day. Where you were at, going, the brain thoughts, because I have zero clue where I left with. And why didn’t I do that? I thought I’d come back to it the next day, or soon enough that I remembered everything. When did I last touch it though? April 2024 it says in the properties that it was last accessed. So a good while. I can’t say I’m good at that habit yet, and I could be far better. Write down this is where my thoughts are, this is where I left off with, this is where I was going.
Although, I do recall that the last time I accessed the book, I already wasn’t in the fiction space, I wrote finally after a long time away, and it was only the one day. Nearly 6 months to a year I think. Probably was around the last time I printed it, which was the end of October 2023. That is the date on the file. So that’s something I need to also do better about. We never know when life will happen as it did me - my mom got sick at that time, and then November was spent going back and forth with her heart attacks, stents, and her passing come December. Then it became about grieving and a year of focus purely on survival for keeping lights on, etc. Me starting blogging and praying it’d help draw in donations and then the audio broadcast, and here we are.
So it wasn’t me going, who needs to write? I’ll just pause because whatever. It was my mom getting sick, passing, and life happening, and then brother and I selling our home and moving into this rental. Good reasons to write down notes on where you leave off with writing. lol
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