Progress Report

Happy Friday!! 🎉

I just got done with a writing session, and I can't pull myself away from the keyboard just yet. As of now, Chapter 4 is about 75% done!! Of the five big scenes, I'm halfway through scene four. The last one is, by far, the shortest, but I also really, really want to get it right 🥹

These last two weeks have been... difficult. Honestly, as I started to write the second draft, there was that nagging feeling at the back of my mind that something was just not quite right. I ignored it, and continued to ignore it, until I could disregard it no longer. I had to sit down and go through the chapter again, scene by scene, and I found the cause.

There were two problems with the beginning of Chapter 4. One, Hadrian, and two, Romanus themselves. I even wrote this on a note 😆

I pulled out my notebook and handwrote the beginning again, because I needed to get my thoughts in order, and the best way to do it is with a pencil in hand. The nagging feeling is no more. I got it. From scene 2 onwards, I liked everything, but the foundation of the chapter was wobbly and about to fall, so I needed to rebuild it.

So, this past week, I went back to the beginning and made things right. 😊 It's funny that it was Hadrian giving me trouble since, usually, Alessa loves to claim that title xD But the more I thought about it, the less I liked what I first wrote. Sometimes I struggle to put particular scenes in their right place—a conversation happening too soon is as damaging as one spoken too late—and with Hadrian, I completely messed up the timeline.

He also behaved, not totally un-Hadrian, but not 100% Hadrian either.

But it's in the past! I can't tell you how much it bugged me 😭 It was slowing me down, because, even as I wrote very exciting scenes, there was that unsettling feeling at the back of my head. I'm ashamed to say it was making me question my writing lol.

With that done, however, starting Tuesday, I can focus on finishing scenes 4 and 5. Tomorrow, I'll take a little rest day, and Sunday, I'll work on the last part of the Q&A.

My dog, Nero, is almost 13, a distinguished old man with a white muzzle where black hair used to shine, and cataracts in once-bright eyes. He loves the rainy weather, and before, when his legs were young and his heart beat strong, we used to go on big hikes this time of the year. Right now, he can't climb the hills any longer, but I've found peace in simply sitting with him and looking out to the grey sea.

So, that's what I'm doing tomorrow. I hope you find peace yourselves, whatever form it takes. Have a great weekend, everyone 🌹