#indiewriter

When writers struggle with a manuscript, the issue is not always plot, pacing, or dialogue.More often, the challenge is maintaining confidence, perspective, and momentum over a project that may take monthsor even yearsto complete.

Here are five challenges that deserve more attention.

1. Expecting clarity before beginning, Many writers wait until every detail feels certain before moving forward.A healthier approach: Allow some questions to remain unanswered. Discovery is part of the writing process, not a sign that you're doing it wrong.

2. Treating difficult writing days as evidence of failureA slow writing session can quickly become a judgment about your ability.A healthier approach: Separate today's progress from your overall skill. Every manuscript contains productive days and frustrating ones.

3. Carrying the entire manuscript at onceThinking about every chapter, subplot, and revision can make the work feel overwhelming.A healthier approach: Focus on the next scene, the next chapter, or the next decision. Stories are built one piece at a time.

4. Writing without outside perspectiveAfter spending so much time with a manuscript, it becomes difficult to experience it as a reader would.A healthier approach: Seek thoughtful feedback. A fresh perspective can reveal strengths and opportunities that are easy to miss from inside the work.

5. Measuring progress only by completionWriters often believe they are succeeding only when they reach the final page.A healthier approach: Progress also includes solving a character problem, improving a scene, or gaining a deeper understanding of the story.

Nobody can reach us then.

We fill the room with stories about people who don’t exist and listen to songs that sound like they were written for us. It’s a competition, really.

Then we open a bottle of wine and try not to crack the glass, because the sound reverberates through our bones, and that’s harsh.

Starbrood is a meta-star system–a trinary star system with three supermassive stars orbited by eleven Earth-sized star systems, ten of which are inhabited by one or more fantasy races. There is no magic or pantheon of Gods and Goddesses, but there is faster-than-light travel, psionics, as well as other fantasy elements.

Ebbing Tide is like a run-on preface, not meant to be a required read for the main story, but allows you to learn more about this incredibly densely populated setting.

Start with Part 1: https://www.tumblr.com/minus1digit/794538899127009280/ebbing-tide-part-1?source=share

Ebbing Tide: Part 3

“Edem, come along now.” Vagen said with annoyance in his tone. Edem had been lagging behind a lot this morning as they made their way along the beach. They were almost around Walker’s Bend and Vagen was anxious to see if anything had changed, not to mention if the fish were still biting there.

Vagen looked out to the ocean as he heard Edem jogging to catch up to him. He pulled on his backpack strap to reposition it a little as he turned his head to watch his son slow to a walk by his side. He smiled at Edem, but Edem’s smile was quite lacking.His smile waned to a lip curl as he roughed up his son’s hair before putting his hand around his outer shoulder. “You know, son, one day you will pray for a simple existence such as we have.”

Edem scoffed and then blew a raspberry making Vagen chuckle a bit.

“Go on,” he said, giving his son a slight nudge forward, “go see if that spot has changed any.”

Edem got a big smile as he ran off. They were nearing the end of Walker’s Bend marked by a large and tall boulder that sits on the edge of the beach and the thin forest that lines the highcliffs. Vagen smiled as his son eagerly ran around the end of Walker’s Bend and disappeared around the boulder. He regripped the fishing poles in his hand and let out a joyful sigh as he caught up.

Vagen smiled again as he rounded the boulder and could see his son pretending to be a starvessel flying and ducking under the exposed root they had inspected the day before.

Instead of getting closer to his son, he diverted toward the shore, wanting to get started fishing sooner rather than later. He waved to his son to follow him, and after slumping his shoulders and visibly sighing, he did as he was told.

Vagen walked up to where the morning tide had reached earlier and set the fishing poles and his backpack down, then kneeling to get a few things out of the backpack. Edem soon reached his side with a solemn step.

“Now, Edem,” Vagen said, giving his son a calm look, “how come you don’t like fishing?”

Edem curled one side of his lip and looked down and away as he answered, “I don’t know. I guess it’s just boring.”

“So, then, when you crashland on a watery world, how do you think you’ll survive?”

Edem shot his father a defeated look before looking out to the ocean. “By fishing.” He said defeatedly.

“That’s right, son. If you plan to be a Star Captain, then it would be important to know how to fish, and how to fish well. Don’t you agree?”

“Yes, father.” Edem said, again in a dejected manner.

“Good, then I have a proposition for you. I want you to first hook and bait the rods, then I want you to take this sketchbook and draw a stellar map of Starbrood with an itemized list of each star. Your stellar cartography skill will be tested far more often than your ability to fish.” Vagen smirked as he watched his son’s face brighten up as he pulled out the sketchbook and a small pouch of drawing charcoal.

“Okay, father.” Edem said with a smile.

He smiled bigger as his son set the book and pouch down to grab the rods to prepare them. He then handed him the tackle box, and after his son opened it to grab a hook, he grabbed the reel he had planned to respool.

Vagen then sat and began to unwind the reel, watching how his son tied the hooks and then attached a lure to each one. He was proud to see how efficient he had become at the young age of 8. He worried about his son’s aspirations. To him, there’s no job more dangerous than flying in space. However, he and his wife both have noticed something special in Edem.

Edem brought the rods to his father and smiled at him as he picked up the book and pouch and ran off back over to the exposed root, using the outermost part as a back rest.

Vagen smiled again as he set the reel down and grabbed the rods to cast them then shove the handle into the wet sand. Then it’s the waiting game, and he grabbed the reel and sat closer to the rods to be ready.

After about twenty minutes, Vagen could hear his son running up to him as he was nearly finished respooling the reel. He was disappointed that there had not been any bites yet, but he was happy that his son finished in a sufficient amount of time. He had just graduated writing school the year prior. He waited until his son was close and slowing to a stop before asking in a faux surprised manner, “Finished already?”

Edem waited until he was at his father’s side before responding, “Uh huh.” He then presented his father the sketchbook, open to his rendering of Starbrood.

“Well, then, let’s see.” Vagen said as he inspected the drawing. Vagen took a moment before saying, “This looks pretty good, son, except that the asteroid belt is outside of Kelvar, not Terra, but otherwise, you nailed it.”

“What is that?” Edem asked.

“Well, you’d have to tell me. You’re the one who drew it.”

“No, father, look. What is that?” Edem asked, pointing not far above the ocean’s horizon.

Vagen strained to see a small object heading their way, but definitely losing altitude at the same time. It took him a moment to realize that there was smoke trailing behind it, and after a moment, he could see that it was a heavily windowed aircraft of some kind. It was growing in size fast and so he told his son to grab what he can and run behind the large boulder.

Vagen could feel the adrenaline and fumbled with one of the rods and decided to leave it behind as he took off just as they were able to start hearing the craft, and it definitely sounded as though it was crashing.

Edem was safely around the boulder and Vagen got to it just as the craft hit the water a few hundred yards from the shore. As Vagen turned, he saw the craft had skipped off of the water and then landed again right at the shore. They both ducked behind the boulder as sand and water had been flung in all directions as the craft burrowed into the beach. The tremor nearly knocked them off of their feet.

Afterward, they both slowly crept up to the craft. Neither of them recognized its style, but they both froze in fear when they could see its occupants.

To be continued....[[|:-)