UPDATED UPDATE TO THE... UPDATE w/ SPOILERS - BE WARNED!!!! (Patreon)

Hi,

Newest Update to the Update: 

This week has been tough, and I'm sorry to say it's been a bit of a bust. I'll be able to release the newest chapter later today (well, today for me; for my friends across the pond, it might not count as today). That head cold turned into an infection, and I've been feeling loopy and out of sorts, which has made writing anything quite difficult. That said, I got a warm fuzzy feeling seeing that no one has left me despite the chaotic past two weeks, holidays included—thank you! 

I'm eager to get back on track. I'll be writing this weekend to avoid falling further behind and aim to release the second chapter on Sunday. Regarding the third chapter I owe you all, I think it's best to delay it until the third book, as soon as I'm fully operational again (fingers crossed for next week!).

I probably should have just sent out a separate update, but where's the fun in that? At least I changed the picture...  Tee-hee!

I apologize for the inconsistency, and I'm truly grateful for your patience and understanding. I'm eagerly looking forward to things returning to normal and pouring my heart into my writing again.

~Hereafter

Outdated Update: 

Alrighty then! I'm finally back home, and oh my shit waffle, how I've missed my computer chair. Seriously, people, if you're in search of an amazing chair, get one designed for individuals over 400 lbs or 180 kg (hopefully, that's the correct conversion). These chairs are built to last—forget those flimsy gaming chairs; larger folks really have it figured out!

Anyway, I'm back, as I've already mentioned. My vacation back home in shitty Spokane was—well, shitty. I adore my nieces, but they somehow manage to get me sick every time. So here I am, writing with a head cold, one ear blocked, and an incessant cough. But this chair is amazing! Writing in a basement with a laptop on my lap, suuuuuuucked. Tee-hee!

I'll strive to release three chapters this week. Worst case scenario, if this head cold worsens, I might delay the third chapter until next week. I'm optimistic that won't happen, but I dislike making promises I can't keep. So, let's call it a personal goal: three chapters or bust.

Minor Spoilers:

This week should conclude Blake's second book. I'm considering adding a few extra chapters, or rather, epilogues to tie up loose ends. Off the top of my head, we need to revisit Blake's fellow harem member and his scheming, likely a major plot point in book 3. Then there's Rob and Yua's betrayal, and Magic's (Circe's) abandonment of the demon world's convergence. She's letting chaos reign while focusing her efforts on pulling Earth into the realm, with Rob and Yua playing minor roles in this scheme. Additionally, we have Death torn between stopping Magic or not; their mutual disdain is tempered only by their shared love for Life (Völuspá), preventing outright destruction. What else? Ah, Vorigan's capture and torture by the Kingdom of Slaethia—don't assume that frog couldn't regenerate after what the dwarf did to him. We'll also delve into Lord Demidicus's plans and check in with the ascended gods.

If there's anything I'm overlooking, please don't hesitate to point it out to me.

Lastly:

I've mentioned before that my goal this year is to venture into publishing for the first time—or at least, to prepare for it. Surprisingly, I think I've discovered a formula that might work for me: outlining (ugh, I must be sick). Now, hear me out. I'm someone who enjoys writing with a rough idea in mind, focusing more on the end goal. I plan to stick with this approach because other methods just don't seem to work out for me. However, having developed a substantial amount of lore and story for Blake, I believe I can now go back, outline everything I liked, remove what didn’t work, and perform a comprehensive rewrite from the ground up. This version will be tailored for publishing—a final draft of “Blake Pudding, Book 1, Am I Evil?”

At this point, I would really appreciate feedback. What parts of the story did you enjoy the most? What did you dislike? Where would you like to see further development? Do the LitRPG elements enhance the story, or should I consider removing them? Or maybe, should I delve deeper into the LitRPG aspects? That said, my primary goal for this year is to continue developing Blake's tale with various early drafts, and to begin working on the early draft of Birthright.

Umm... Lastly, Lastly:

With those questions in mind, here’s another “S” for Spoiler:

I plan to maintain the LitRPG elements in Blake's saga. However, in the end, Blake will destroy the system, fundamentally altering magic as the realm knows it. Everyone has depended on the system for easy access to magic, but they were unaware of it. This will result in a void in magical knowledge and skills that needs to be relearned. Exploring this concept is something I aim to do in other series, such as "The Wooden Sword" and "Life Hereafter," which will follow the stories of Blake and Birthright. That being said, I've already hinted at another method by which someone can acquire system skills without the system itself—this knowledge lies with the Dungeon Folks. This will likely be a feature in an Aislinn tale where she uncovers these secrets with her wooden sword (or rather, shrunken dryad tree). He-he!

Yeah, I know... Lastly, Lastly, Lastly:

Okay, I think I've shared enough spoilers, hints, and clues about the direction I want to take for this week's Update. I'll continue writing and aim to get everything out on time. I'm confident about meeting my deadlines, but I don't want to make any firm promises while I'm coughing my lungs out onto my monitor—ew, what did I just splatter on my screen? Where was I? Ah, yes! Writing goals and such, as well as my gratitude.

Thank you all for your continued support. It truly means an incredible amount to me!

With dark joy,

Hereafter