SoulSkin August ’23 #11
I had no idea what I was agreeing to. Wouldn’t that count?
I’m rewriting SoulSkin’s ending. I spent some time away from the book to go back to it with a fresh eye, and I realized upon reading it that the ending isn’t what I want for it. Not only does this first version feel “too easy”, but I also feel like as I did not want the story to end, I dragged it as far as I could, which was doing it a great disservice.
So, I’m reworking the last part. Thankfully, there are chapters and scenes that can be reused, and I’m not entirely writing it from scratch, but making sure that everything remains connected is tough. Adding plot holes without realizing it is *extremely* easy.
On a lighter note, apart from my alpha reader, the amazing Jules I already talked about in my previous updates, some friends who worked in editing houses/as editors are also reading it and reviewing it. Their feedback is really positive, and their suggestions so precious. I am almost sure at one point, one of them (if not both) will pinpoint major issues I haven’t caught, deeper structural issues perhaps, but so far, the changes are light. Mostly words switching, making sure sentences & rhythm hit properly, and erasing all my unfortunate anglicisms due to years of reading fantasy only in English. I miss not being able to read the latest novels out, but if I start reading in another language, it rewires my brain completely. My first novel suffered greatly from that – it wasn’t good English nor good French.
With all that said, that does push back the beta reading sessions I had planned, and I am sorry for that, but it’s best to wait rather than let out something half-baked.
As for the illustrations side (this one isn’t canon, it was a Romeo & Juliet inspired piece, which ended up looking more Sleeping Beauty than anything), I’m so crammed with contracts for authors and for my journalist job that I have little time to draw.
Still, I want to try to doodle one per day in September, as it helps a ton while writing to “visualize” them on paper. But that might be just a tad too ambitious.
Love,
Aude