Sunday 9th of April 2023

April 9, 2023April 9, 2023 Peter Germany Cat, Editing, Gaming, Horror, Horror Writer, Life, Lifestyle, Outlining, Planning, Sci-Fi, TV, Writing Cat, Halo, Halo: The Master Chief Collection, Indie Writer, Writer, Writer Life, Writers, Writers Community, Writers Journal, Writers Life, Writing, Writing Community, Writing Journal, Writing Life

Howdy, folks! How are we all?

I wrote 980 words today on War Child. I’ve come to realise I’m essentially working on a second draft. Not quite writing it from scratch but I have rewritten the first couple of scenes. It’s a case of it being easier to do this than it is to add in the details I need to. Starting War Child during last years NaNoWriMo was a good idea as it got the story off the ground, but it has also hampered it. Where I was writing a bit here and a bit there a lot of the time I wasn’t able to be as deep with it as it needs to be. At the moment it feels like NaNo served as an in-depth outline for the story. It helped me get an idea of the story I want to tell, and how broad it is turning out to be. I think I’ve said in previous posts that I was loosely planning three books, a trilogy that would tell this story. Well, where book one was originally meant to end is a long, long ways off. At the moment I think this is going to be a good five book series, which I think I got overwhelmed by. Even now I feel like the scale of this is too big for me to get my head around. I think this has led to me not working on it too much since the start of the year, but that time has given me time to process what I need to do to get this first book done.

Watching the science fiction I have recently has given me a lot of ideas, as has diving back into the Halo video game series. I spent a fair chunk of yesterday afternoon replaying the first game, and boy had I forgotten how good it was. I’m playing the Master Chief collection which is remastered and damn it looks good. Plays fantastic too (I’d forgotten how hard those damn Warthogs are to drive though!). I’d not really played any game aside from GTA for quite some time, so I was worried the different game mechanics would have a negative effect. But thankfully they didn’t and I really got stuck in. It was a lot of fun and I’m looking forward to playing it again in the next few days.

To make sure I don’t get distracted by it, I won’t be gaming until I’m done with any bits and pieces at home I need to do, and I’ve written. I’m going to be starting kind of small with it, a scene a day for example. But I’m hoping that I’ll get into a flow with the story and this will increase each time I sit down to write.

20th October 2022

October 20, 2022October 20, 2022 Peter Germany Cat, Editing, Health, Home Office, Horror Writer, Life, Men’s Mental Health, Mental Health, Outlining, Planning, Writing Anxiety, Cat, Confidence, editing, Health, Horror, Indie Writer, Indie Writers, Life, Men’s Mental Health, Mental Health, Outlining, Self-Esteem, Word counts, Writer, Writer Life, Writers, Writers Angst, Writers Community, Writers Journal, Writers Life, Writing, Writing Community, Writing Journal, Writing Life

Good evening, folks. How are we all doing?

I’ve had two productive days, well the whole week has been productive to be honest. Although today got off to a later start as I had shopping and some errands to run.

I am making progress with my goals for this month. I’ve typed up the short story I recently wrote and will be looking to do the next edit pass before the end of the month.

The read through of the vampire book is moving nicely. I’m finding more little errors and continuity issues than I was expecting, but nothing major.

I’ve also started digging into the planning for Penal Earth book 2. I’m hoping to have this as a major project for 2023. I’ve got a number of stories that are either ready to go (zombie and Penal Earth) or very ready to go (vampire and Black Blood), and I really want to push to get those published or submitted one way or another in the next two years.

I still need to be writing though. Yes, I’ve got those four pieces to get out into the world, but I also want to get ready for what’s going to be published after those.

This surge of productivity, I’ve had it before and it drifts away. I’m tired of letting it wonder off when it sees fit. I’m working on figuring out what causes me to loose this drive I’ve currently got. I know it’s anxiety, self-esteem. Confidence. I’m better prepared for working it all out than I’ve ever been. It’s still not always easy, and it’s something that’ll take time. But I’m getting there.

Rock on, Folks!

Good Morning! 24th August 2020

August 24, 2022 Peter Germany Outlining, Planning, Preparation, Writing Indie Writer, Indie Writers, Planning, Word counts, Writer, Writers, Writers Community, Writers Journal, Writers Life, Writing, Writing Community, Writing Journal, Writing Life

Just a quickie today. Yesterday I got the read through of the original draft of Penal Earth finished and this morning I’ve done some planning for it. Mainly key plot points, character storylines, and a few other details.

So a good start to the day.

7-7-22

July 7, 2022 Peter Germany Editing, Outlining, Planning, Preparation, Writing editing, Indie Writer, Indie Writers, Life, Word counts, Writer, Writer Life, Writers, Writers Community, Writers Journal, Writers Life, Writing, Writing Community, Writing Journal, Writing Life

Just a quickie post tonight. 2400 words on Black Blood. And 10 pages read of an original draft of Penal Earth that I’m gonna harvest for book 2.

Rock on, folks!

5th Of July 2022

July 5, 2022July 5, 2022 Peter Germany Editing, Horror, Horror Writer, Outlining, Planning, Writing editing, Indie Writer, Indie Writers, Life, Nanowrimo, Word counts, Writer, Writer Life, Writers, Writers Community, Writers Journal, Writers Life, Writing, Writing Community, Writing Journal, Writing Life

Howdy folks, just a quick post tonight. I’ve edited 1403 words on Black Blood and done a little planning on Penal Earth book 2. I kept thinking about scenes and plot lines, but I think diving in full steam ahead without any direction then I’m gonna end up hitting a brick wall, or seven!

So I’ve started a basic map out of what I want to do. A lot of what will end up being in book two will be taken from an original draft of the first book, including an element that I was scared I’d have to cut as it didn’t really advance the plot, but now I’ve got an idea to tie it all in nicely.

Right, I’m wrapping it up for the night, have a great one all.

Good Afternoon, 29/10/21

October 29, 2021October 29, 2021 Peter Germany Editing, Horror, Horror Writer, Nanowrimo, Outlining, Planning, Preparation, Writing books, editing, Horror, Indie Writer, Indie Writers, Leah Solmaz, Life, Nanowrimo, Penal Earth, Serial Pensioner, Word counts, Writer, Writer Life, Writers, Writers Community, Writers Journal, Writers Life, Writing, Writing Community, Writing Journal, Writing Life

Good afternoon, folks! I hope everyones day is going well?

I’ve spent the last half an hour or so looking through files for an early draft of Penal Earth, which I found and printed out as I’m going to mine it for book two. I also printed off three short stories from that universe as since my mum read Penal Earth and The North Side, she’s been asking me for more of that world. That is part of the push behind bumping the second book up. Penal Earth is my most completed novel length piece as of this moment (just gotta save up for an editor to look it over) and I’m itching to get back into that world and play with some of the story lines that were in that original draft that I wrote for NaNo 2015.

Now, I’m not going to dive in and start writing right now (it’s tempting but no). I want to read it through a couple of times, make a few notes and kinda scribble out what I don’t want and then copy and paste it into a new file and then start connecting those all together and tying it into book one.

With NaNo just a few days away I’m tempted to say I’ll do it for next NaNo 2022, but I’m not quite ready to commit to next years project just yet. After this years NaNoWriMo I’ll have a lot of editing to do and I’d like to get Zombie, Black Blood, and Vampire done and dusted. Or at least to the point where I can have them off to an editor once I’ve got the cash together. Zombie is still my priority. The cover art is all but done, and once I’ve gone through and done what needs to be done I’m probably going to send it off to the editor again just to make sure I’ve not cocked it up even more!

I’ve mentioned that Leah Solmaz has adapted a short story of mine(Serial Pensioner) into an animated short. Well it’s now done and will be out on Sunday! Below is a video Leah posted on her YouTube where she talks about that and what she’s been up to the last few months and what she’s got going on in the near future. Please have a watch and check out her work. She’s not only a talented actor, writer, producer, director but she’s a fantastic person as well.

Right folks, be kind and rock on!

Good Morning! 5th of July 2021

July 5, 2021 Peter Germany Cat, Editing, Horror Writer, Outlining, Planning, Preparation, Writing Black Cat, Cat, editing, Horror, Indie Writer, Indie Writers, Life, Nanowrimo, Planning, Word counts, Writer, Writer Life, Writers, Writers Community, Writers Journal, Writers Life, Writing, Writing Community, Writing Journal, Writing Life

Howdy Folks! How are we all doing today?

After I blogged yesterday I was going to get a little work done on an upcoming blog post but I had a nap instead. I was hoping to get it done so I could get it typed up and at least scheduled today, but I don’t think that’s going to be the case.

I am planning on getting the vampire edit done this week. It’s less than 60k so I think I can. I am being flexible in things like this though. I’m taking into consideration the day job as well as other non-writing elements of life (like the little ball of black chaos that is known as Raven!).

I’ve been brainstorming a lot recently and I’ve got to set about transferring all those handwritten notes to the appropriate project files. I think some of what I’m getting from brainstorming is installing an element of a story in my head and when it comes to writing the story that element won’t be forgotten (hopefully!). But I don’t want to rely on my brain solely, I’ve got so many notes on the mermaid book now that I can’t guarantee I’m going to be able to recall them when it comes time to write the story (this’ll likely be my NaNoWriMo story for this year!).

A busy week ahead, and I’m determined to hit the ground running!

And here’s the ball of chaos being cute ☺️

Sometimes I Sit….

June 12, 2021 Peter Germany Editing, Horror Writer, Insperation, Life, Lifestyle, Mental Health, Outlining, Planning, Preparation, Random Thoughts, Writing editing, Horror, Indie Writer, Indie Writers, Life, Mental Health, Word counts, Writer, Writer Life, Writers, Writers Community, Writers Journal, Writers Life, Writing, Writing Community, Writing Journal, Writing Life

Sometimes I sit to write a blog post which isn’t my normal journal entry style that I tend to do. I like to give a little more once in a while, and I’m trying to get better at expressing my opinions. But more often than not I’m sitting looking at a blank screen while I wait for a subject, or even just s few words, to grab me. This post is a prime example. I had a good few minutes of thinking ‘fuck, I’ve got nothing’ but that also happens when I’m writing as well. I’ll look at that blank screen and my mind goes blank.

It’s both bizarre and frustrating at the same time. I know I’ve got the words there but so often they just do not want to play ball. This is where being in a good state of mind helps. If I’m feeling pretty good about myself then I can normally get rolling nicely. It’s when I’m having a bad head day that I struggle.

Thankfully those days and moments are few and far between now. I’ve got enough I can work on that it one idea is flowing well I can dive into another, and I’m finding that brainstorming is really beginning to help when I’ve got nothing coming out when I’m trying to write.

This doesn’t always work, sometimes it’s editing that I can get stuck into, other times nothing helps. But the key is I’m finding more ways to be productive when I’m not able to write.

7th of May 2021

May 7, 2021May 7, 2021 Peter Germany Horror Writer, Life, Outlining, Planning, Preparation, Writing Goals, Horror, Indie Writer, Indie Writers, Planning, Word counts, Writer, Writer Life, Writers, Writers Community, Writers Journal, Writers Life, Writing, Writing Community, Writing Journal, Writing Life

Good morning, folks!

How are we all doing today? I overlaid and instead of having three and half hours to write, I had an hour and a half. I managed 698 words in that time, which I’m happy about. I’m liking focussing just on this part of the story. It’s making it feel a lot less intimidating than addressing the whole story. It’s nice being able to scroll up and add and adjust elements to the sequence as I’m writing, it’s just a lot easier to navigate. Scrivener does a good job of making it easy as a rule, but I’ve got to get better at organising and remembering what is where.

Although I haven’t written much this month I’ve been doing a lot of brainstorming. As of this moment I’ve got four different stories that I’ve thrashing ideas out on. This feels a little excessive, but these four stories are the ones taking to me, so they’re the ones that are getting a little bit of time here and there.

Right, I’m out of time. So I’m gonna wrap it here.

I hope y’all are all doing well and keep pushing towards your goals!

Good Evening, 7th March 2021

March 7, 2021March 7, 2021 Peter Germany Editing, Horror Writer, Life, Lifestyle, Mental Health, Outlining, Writing books, editing, Horror, Indie Writer, Indie Writers, Life, Mental Health, Note Book, short fiction, Short Stories, Word counts, Writer, Writer Life, Writers, Writers Community, Writers Journal, Writers Life, Writing, Writing Community, Writing Journal, Writing Life

Howdy folks! When I was in bed last night, not being able to sleep, I gave up trying and started writing and ended up writing 473 on a new story set in the Penal Earth universe. I haven’t read it since I wrote it, so it could suck! but who cares! everything can be fixed in edits!

I took time during my break to make some notes on the mermaid story, and it feels like I’m getting some good world building down. This story is beginning to fill out nicely, although its just occurred to me that I’ve not done too much on characters yet.

Anyway, after work I did a little work on the vampire book and added 182 words on that one while also carrying out edits. Not much, but I worked through a fair bit of what is a difficult scene.

Right, I’ve got an early start tomorrow. So I’m going to bed! Have a good one, folks!

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