Hey everyone. (Patreon)

Just letting you know that I'm beginning work on the finale of 'Journey of an Alraune' tomorrow.

I've taken some needed time off to claw back some motivation and energy, it took my therapist to point out the fact that it isn't right for someone to spend 14 - 18 hours a day trying to work, even if they have suffered diminished productivity due to it and are trying to catch up. Who knew?

The rationale was along the lines of; "You wouldn't do it for a boss, and you shouldn't, even if the boss is yourself." I was spending 18 hours a day and only getting a couple of pages done. I wasn't allocating any 'MassManic' time, so the guilt, burnout of not getting content out for you all and writer's block were part of the same cyclonic shitstorm that I couldn't get out of.
Not the best work ethic. No work/life balance whatsoever. Very detrimental.

So the comic:

I expect that it's going to be quite a substantial finale that'll have you all in tears. I'll be releasing it weekly until it's done. I'm not promising any page quantity per week, but I should get it finished before the month is over. Baby steps.

I've been focussing on a very particular literary device in this comic: flashbacks.
The themes are loss, recollection, grief, and memories preserving others. Referential and self-referential moments are going to be used to a devastating effect, especially for the last page or two.

I'm still going slow, I'll be taking my time as things in the mental health department are still tentative at the moment, I don't want burnout and guilt to be the utterly ruinous forces that halt any enthusiasm for creating content for you all.

So... all that is left to say is thanks for your patience and understanding. I'm getting better each day, but it is slow. Don't feel any guilt if you want to un-pledge, honestly, I understand. When I return I'll be doing it with a vengeance, I already have a plot written up that'll blow 'Requited Change' out of the waters, narratively speaking of course... maybe on a technical level too.

I'll speak to you all again on the 14th! Take care everyone, don't get to the stage I did, it is a lesson that has been hard-learned.