This year has been very different for my writing. A good different, though it also means that some projects didn’t get as much attention as usual. I started working a full-time job again this summer, which has slowed things down, but I’m definitely still keeping things moving, just at a slightly slower pace.

One major thing that has happened this year is I’ve (finally) joined a writing group! It has been a lot of fun, and their feedback has been priceless. I had been nervous about having people see such early drafts of my work, but it has been well worth it, and now I look forward to hearing them talk about it, and occasionally rip a chapter to shreds. It means my books are going to be that much better. It’s also been fantastic to be able to analyze the works of other authors and help them to improve their stories.

I also attended Brandon Sanderson’s lecture class at the beginning of the year, which has made an impact on my writing, but not as big of one as I thought it would. That has actually given me a lot more confidence in my work and skills. A lot of what he covered I either already knew, or seemed common sense to me as a writer. I still learned things (and continue to learn from other avenues, there’s always room for improvement), but the biggest takeaway I had was that I already know what I’m doing.

You may also have seen a bit more from me on social media this year, although, not on this blog, unfortunately. One of my resolutions this year is to post here more frequently. Besides my Facebook page, I now have a TikTok and Instagram, @ladyrebeccaelf on both platforms. It’s been a fun way to share insights and funny things about my writing!

Gemtouched Memoirs

It’s been a big year for this series! Nothing new has been published yet, but not only did I finish the first draft of the second book, which will be titled Gemtouched, but I’m also almost done with the fourth draft! I’ll be sending that to gamma readers next week, then once I get their feedback, I’ll complete the final two drafts! One draft to make any changes needed from reader feedback, and a polishing draft, making sure things sound pretty and there aren’t any typos (a feat, as the book is right around 185,000 words). Then the finishing processes to publication! This book has been so much fun to write and get reactions about. Escape from Salmira was only scratching the surface.

Besides having book two close to publication, my NaNoWriMo project this year was book three! It’s coming along nicely, and I’m glad that I started it before book two is published, as it helped me refine some points that change the perspective of some people that will show in Gemtouched. It didn’t cause any major changes, just some minor ones that will make things feel more whole. I’m really excited about how it’s turning out, and I haven’t even touched some things I’m most looking forward to.

D&D Projects

These have taken the back burner this year, and maybe even been put in the fridge. I only published one module, which did finish another seasonal bundle, but I still have three more to write to finish off the year. Four, if you count the bonus module I decided I’m going to write for the full-year bundle. I’ve got a larger supplement in the works to help DMs with their worldbuilding, but it still has some work to do. I’m hoping that once I have some editing drafts done on my novels that I’ll be able to get back to these, I do miss them.

Serial Novel

This project is at a standstill, but it’s not my fault. Our D&D group has been having a lot of scheduling conflicts this year and I quickly caught up in the story to where I felt comfortable publishing (there’s a chance memories will be tampered with, and that hasn’t come to a resolution yet). The story is still ongoing, but at an ooze’s pace. It might still be a while before I can publish more chapters, but then I’ll have several to publish.

War Epic Trilogy

I’m very much waffling on what to title both the series and the novel, so I’m just going to refer to this project by its genre. This was my NaNoWriMo project last year, and I finished the first draft in September. It’s currently going through my writing group, and I plan on writing the second book this year.
Unlike Gemtouched Memoirs, the first book of the series won’t stand well on its own. The story wraps up, all except for the thread that continues into book two, which promises more is coming. This is a bit of a risky move on my part, but the only way this series will work unless I were to write it all as one novel, which I don’t think will work as well. The book ends a little too cleanly to continue on in the same volume. Because of all this, I won’t be submitting to agents until at least the second book is done, so this series is still probably several years out before publication.

Conclusion

I’ve grown a lot as a writer this year, and I’m comfortable with the direction I’m heading. I’ve taken on a heavier workload this year than I have before, and great things have come about because of it. My characters still surprise me at times, which earns them painful character arcs, and I’m still having fun playing with my magic systems and interacting with my worlds. This is why I love writing, I get to make new people, places, and things to play with! (Nouns, I create nouns?) Here’s to more adventures in 2023!