Progress Update

Writing progress update: March W21

Just passed 10.000 words written this month. Finally! It’s been slow, and the only reason why my numbers are that high is because over half of it was me working on my worldbuilding (6300w). I count these because while they aren’t part of a draft, they are very much needed to make my fiction be what it is.

Image of purple flowers, a fountain pen, and written
 piece of paper on the left, and a green square to the right with text reading “Writing Progress Update” and “Elisa Winther”.

Aside from the worldbuilding, I drafted little over 2000 words, most for SALANDRINE and blogged about 1800. May is mental health awareness month and since I already started my blog series on selfcare my blog posts fit in perfectly. If you’re interested, I wrote about Writing Insecurities and Writer’s Guilt.

So what have I been working on these past weeks?

SALANDRINE

I wrote and did some light edits for SALANDRINE. A lot is supposed to come together in this part of the WIP and there’s going to come some extra tension between the two leading ladies when Amal finds out what Salandrine did (you can actually read what she did in my (old) chapter 1).

There’ll also be some changes coming, but I plan to keep them until my next editing round, which should only take place after I finish the complete draft. Tiny edits while I read a bit back to get into the story so I can continue drafting; yes. Anything heavier than that; big no no.

My plan is to have Salandrine be into local folklore. She’ll be introduced to it by Shaper Hadeel (who used to act like a sort of mentor and mother figure to Salandrine). Hadeel gives her a fairytale book when she’s a child to help cheer her up and the stories inspire her. She loves to learn about her heritage and culture through the fables and legends (since she’s being neglected) and she falls in love with all the possibilities the fairytales provide.

This love for folklore will help her fit some of the puzzle pieces of the mystery that is the main plot. Old and dangerous myths will be dug up in their quest for answers to their country’s demise.

WORLDBUILDING

I put a lot of work into my worldbuilding, but as extensive as it is, I focused on Saevria (the country Amal is from). There’s been sections added, histories written, and environments explored, but of course, I’m nowhere near finished.

Then as I looked at the WIPs waiting for me to give them much needed attention, I realized how scattered I’ve been again. So many WIPs and all in different countries. Which means, more worldbuilding. So I chose to cut it down.

From now on I’ll be focussing on the WIPs which takes place in Mnaluria and Saevria. I’ll finish the worldbuilding and don’t worry, there’s A LOT that I can write in these countries.

FINAL EDITS AHEAD

Then there’s the WIPs I sent of for feedback. Most I’ve heard back from, and IF ONLY MEMORIES BREATHED is ready for me. Not sure if I’m ready though. From the feedback I’ve received it seems like there’s a hell of a lot more work left for me. Turns out there’s too much story scrammed into a 3200-something words story, so it’ll need to be expanded. On top of that, it’s also one of my heaviest stories so it’ll be tough to work on too.

And there’s IN GOOD COMPANY (a.k.a. SALT) which… It’s one of my favourite WIPs so far. I liked working on it, like the feedback I’m getting, and it’s getting expanded too. It needs at least one extra scene, but other than that it won’t be like a complete rewrite or adding of several chapters. The expansion will be in form of a prequel novelette.

I’m still brainstorming and making an outline for this prequel, but so far it’ll be about the three main characters meeting each other and the exploration of being asexual, relationships, expectations, and (sexual/sensual) pleasure.

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