Friday 6 April Progress Report (Previous Report)
There was a little delay with my writing today, but I feel it was one of the beneficial sort. I say that because what my delays allowed me to do was think about my next move and plot an overall course for the work I did today. I know that is shocking, given how much I dislike long term planning, but I did not consider what I did today to be intrusive planning. In fact, it was so beneficial to my work.
I was hesitant at the start of The Elder Ones to include chapters that focused on Abygail as the focus character, which is why there is only one of them in Sea Spray. Now I see that my fears were unfounded and Abygail is proving to be one of the best characters across the series. She has a well-thought out backstory, she is interesting, she has her unique character traits and she remains interesting with how I present her inner voice. She is the best character I have that is not a protagonist.
Where My Word Count Should Be: 55,000 words
Where My Word Count Is: 55,047 words
- What I Did Today
Horizon’s End is, if I had to guess, maybe halfway finished as a chapter. The work I did today focused more on Abygail’s relationship with Jhendar Saltsage, AKA The Salt Sage, the most fearsome pirate in Terrus’ history. I indulged the reader in the beauty of the Prudence, which I envision as a counterpart to Sea Spray’s Tyr’s Bounty. I also sowed the seeds for Lyra and Abygail’s relationship to blossom as well.
- The Best Sample From Today
There are two samples I would like to include for today, as they each offer their own unique insights. The first is a look into The Salt Sage’s mindset and helping the reader discover why he loves the sea.
Sample #1
‘I have waited an eternity for this moment. I never thought that I would get to see the open ocean again. Oh, the memories. Not a coastline for miles around as the saltiness floods your lungs and the wind carries you to whatever destination it so chooses. Do not forget the wildlife. I remember being able to swim alongside sharks and dolphins without fear of attack. Sea creatures always appreciated me more than man did. What I miss most of all is the scent of home. The chance to set my feet on the sands of the Assassin Islands once more. How about you? What is it about the sea that attracts you? What do you miss about home?’ The Salt Sage says in a jovial tone.
The tranquility involved in The Salt Sage’s words are designed to invoke a sense of belonging and of home. I want to paint the image in the reader’s mind that The Salt Sage considers the sea to be his bride and that it is the thing that makes him more happy than anything else in the world.
The second sample for today is Abygail talking to Lyra. It gives the reader more a sense of how intelligent Abygail is, instead of always showing her as the expert Assassin from Sea Spray.
Sample #2
‘Which part? The ship or the view? For me, it’s a hard toss-up between both. The view offers a lot that you would never see from the land. This place is majestic in both the sunrise and the sunset. I’ll show you if you want when the time is right. As for the ship, the Prudence is feared and revered. The silhouette on the horizon is unmistakable to traders and warships alike. The entire vessel is a feat of engineering that is yet to find any equal. Do you mind if I sit in your lap? I know that’s a weird question to ask, but you look real comfortable,’ Aby says.
The way that Aby speaks is of course in the voice of Aurelee Faustren, who she must continue to impersonate for much of the rest of Earth Splitter. That does not take away from the fact that the entire sequence is Abygail’s words. This is not something anyone would find Aurelee saying, so it shows the reader the first sign that Abygail is going to make a mistake that will cause her disguise to be found out.
- How Productive I Felt I Was
In contrast to last week, this week was fairly tame writing. I find it is something that I needed to do, because one of the many things I felt I did not do well with Sea Spray was give the reader a sense of what Tyr’s Bounty looked like. With what I did today, I believe I rectified that minor error and it allowed me to showcase that I do a lot of research for my work.
In a weird subversion of getting people acquainted with a set piece like Prudence and destroying it before it does anything interesting, I envision the Prudence to be a key factor in the remaining novels in the series. It makes sense, given that the bane of the seas no longer presents a threat to the integrity of any seafaring vessel.
- What I Intend To Write Next Week
I will keep this short this week as I intend to inform everyone of what I intend to do at the end of the week. Keep your minds creative and put those pens onto paper.
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