October 25 Update (Patreon)

This was technically my first week of break, but it didn't really feel like it, because I've had a pretty steady stream of TLS-related emails, comments, and messages. Thanks to those of you who are understanding that I won't be addressing everything immediately.

Meanwhile, the OEA mapper is tearing through interior maps (above). Doing this kind of parallax mapping is actually a bit of a pain, preventing me from working on the same stuff, as there's no way to merge our changes into one project. Not that I would have been able to spend much time on it, this week.

I put up a TBS worldbuilding post that may interest some of you. I already did promo for the audiobook preorder last week, so I'll just briefly say that if you feel like supporting me extra, helping this release would be a way I'd really appreciate. If you don't have them, some links:

US: https://www.audible.com/pd/177424568X?qid=1600795838 

International: https://geni.us/TheBrightestShadow 

Ebook: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0856ZMG9Z/ 

I have to do about one more week of promotion, then I'm done... for one thing. This sucks, but effort put in now matters more than my work itself, so it would be unreasonable not to do it. Hopefully next week I'll have a more relaxed update.

Self-Absorbed Creativity Ramble

Though most of you have been very understanding, of course I've gotten a number of messages objecting to taking a break or shifting focus. Such opinions are anyone's prerogative, but some of those have made assumptions about my creative process. I'd like to address those, though I'm afraid this will end up more rambly than insightful.

Some creators seem to have a limited quantity of creative energy that they need to put entirely toward one project or it dissipates, but I'm not one of them. I've always found it more creatively fulfilling to shift between different mediums and concepts. The statement I made a while back about immensely enjoying my TLS work after all this time is still my current feeling on the subject, but to avoid the stagnation of creative energy after so long working on a single story, I really appreciate being able to shift gears.

As much as I try to apply discipline and good habits, there's an aspect to creativity that's difficult to pin down. What I want to emphasize is that taking on more stuff doesn't make me feel unhappy or overworked, not compared to certain abstract feelings. This makes me feel like a stereotypical unstable artist, but that's who I am at this stage in my life.

To give a hypothetical example because I want to avoid specifics, sometimes projects are a mix of general tropes I play straight that don't really interest me, and other elements that make me passionate about all the rest. Sometimes I get comments that read to me like, "The general tropes are good, but the author should get rid of that other garbage." Now, readers are free to feel this way, but it has a nasty impact on my creative energy. I've lost whole parts of days because I fell into a bitter mood and writing seemed pointless.

Now, in an intellectual sense I know that this is irrational. I've received so many wonderful comments, especially about TLS, that let me know that many people care about the things I put the most effort into. But there are still times when I end up feeling like I'm successful not because of what I'm passionate about, but because of what some readers can use my work to gain.

This is still far better than failing as a creator, struggling to pay bills, or so many other worse scenarios. I try to cultivate gratitude for everything wonderful in my life, including you guys. But in terms of my overall creative output, such ephemeral moods have a greater impact than some time spent on a side project.

This reads as a bit self-absorbed to me, but heck, I'm trying to take a break. Hopefully it's of a little interest to some. Back next week, as always!