Creation: Book 3: Strandbinder Complete!

Hello,

Quick poll here. The last time I did one was way back in September. As a first-time author, I'm curious about a few things. If you get the chance to vote, I'd greatly appreciate it.

Patreon-wise, I'm about 2 months ahead nowadays. I'm writing this live, rather than the catch-up time that you normally see here. I figure, with the length of the current chapters, that the last book will be twice as long as the first two. I'm also thinking I'd really like to volumize the series (books 1, 2, 3), but that requires new covers and I'm a little cash hungry at the moment.

For some quick insight into how things work in this story, I do have a plot and a plan. The problem lies in the characters. Each time I think I'm ready for the next big chapter, the next big BANG as it were, my characters explore something else and off I go. Don't get me wrong, I've been seeding the ending since the first few chapters, and I do want to get to it, but there's just so much to still explore before we get there that I get rather tied up.

For instance, in my last chapter, I finally broke down how the system REALLY works and what it is. That took me five-damn chapters and I don't write short ones. I had to explore the metaphysical space (and what the system calls it), Kwaya, and how to work with it. That's 5 damn chapters! And with the length of my writing (offputting to some), as well as the frequency of postings (I'm a teacher, damnit. I write when I can!), it's long delays between arcs.

My goal, way back when I started this, was to have the series completed (trilogy) before summer, and I'm worried I won't get there in time. I've already plotted my novella, The Boy and the Stick, and I'm ready to write it, it just takes time to get there. Each book has taken me about 40-45 chapters including side-arcs and other POV's. So, I'm worried.

Anyways, I don't recall if I've posted it before, so I'll just do so here. I wrote up a guide to how I created monsters and milestones a good while back. It's helpful for myself when planning, as well as something I'm considering putting into D & D one day for future campaigns. I'll still need to do one for systems, tasks, factions (forthcoming), and awakenings, but those are all in good time with the inclusion and creation of Grey. Here's two of the links in case you're interested:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1yVhuuvWHZDTCg-7hUe2sP2kvgx1DV6rZkKEL0-zXpI0/edit?usp=sharing for milestones

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1iDxzH_6OM--TNcOQzuUZx2b4P2zQtV0Ii6iGexImXA0/edit?usp=sharing for monsters

I think they're full up-to-date? I hope so.

Please keep in mind, I wrote the ending of the series before I ever started it. I like to tell my students, you need to know the end before you can discover the beginning. It's very.....explosive......I figure the final chapter will actually be three due to length and consequences.

I hope you're all well and preparing for what looks like an unbearably hot summer (Texas yo). Please vote if you get the chance.

p.s. I appreciate all of the recent ratings that have been thrown my way. The algorithm here is slightly confusing. I received close to 10 .5's for the first chapter and it tanked me fairly hard.