Schedule Update (Patreon)

Hey everyone!

I'm back from my break and feeling GREAT! It helped me realize that, yes, I was in the middle of burning out, and I wasn't noticing it. The last few weeks I'd been feeling like I needed to sit down and write chapters, while now I *want* to sit down and write chapters. Tiny word difference that makes all the difference in the world. 

I have lots of story to tell with BTDEM. Like. Years of story left to write out. I have plots, plans, arcs, cool events, medical problems, ethics, and more. A lack of creativity or "not knowing where to take the story" is unlikely to ever be an issue. Burning out is. Trying to write while horribly burned out is. 

The next few chapters - todays, and the next 5-7 or so - I don't think are super strong chapters. They're the result of me writing while burning out, and it shows hard. I've been trying to edit them into decent shape, but all in all I'm not thrilled with them.

I don't want to write more chapters like that, or chapters like the Deva arc - another set I wrote while somewhat burned out. I want to write high quality chapters, and consistently release them. 

Covid has made this extra-hard. Without Covid, my wife and I would be happily sticking Flora into daycare, and I'd use the time to write and make sure I was looking after myself. However, Covid is a reality, and the risk is too large for us, so I'm still splitting full time child care with writing, and of course keeping the house running. Those of you with kids know just how crazy all of this is!

As a result, I'm going to be taking a leaf out of Pirateaba's book. Sadly, it's not the "Write 30k word chapters twice a week" leaf, but it is the "Take some time off every month" page. Roughly on the 3rd full week of every month, I'll be taking 2 posting days off. You'll still get a chapter that week, and I'll try to add in fun bonus material to make up for it - artwork will be posted then, fun little contests and events, worldbuilding material, etc. Stuff that's still content, without me frying. 

I'll make sure to give you all the dates well ahead of time. For example, November I'm taking off the Wednesday and Friday around Thanksgiving - November 24th and 26th.

December I'm taking off two days around Christmas - Friday the 24th and Monday the 27th. I'll do my best to keep you all updated on what days I'm taking off and when they are, so they're not a surprise.  

Again, I feel awful for giving sub-par chapters, and for needing to take regular time off. However, I don't see any other way to keep BTDEM sustainable. I'm making sure to tell you all this now, so those of you who'd like to switch your patreon around have the time to do so. Be a bit of a dick move to wait for the start of the month, eh?

If you are going to leave because of this though, do me a favor and don't tell me? I already feel terrible about it, please no kick while I'm down <3

Thank you all for understanding! Here's to many more years of BTDEM!

Cheers!

Selkie Myth

PS: I'm getting a new book 5 cover. Going to be Elaine in dwarven armor in a mine tunnel.