Happy spring! Traditionally a season for sowing seeds and setting intentions, for me it’s also been a time of major life changes. The opportunities that I have been relying on as primary sources of income have downsized, thrusting me rather suddenly back into the unpleasant chaos of applying for work and pitching ideas left and right. I’ve got a few possibilities lined up, but nothing’s certain yet.
On the bright side… my husband and I are now proud cat parents. We recently helped our roommate renovate his porch, which has now become a fabulous spot for both writing and gathering friends to make good memories. And while things haven’t gone quite as I’d hoped or planned this past quarter, progress has been made, and I continue to grow and learn.
In other words—despite the downsides, life is generally good, and (as always) goes on. And so shall I.
Previous check-ins:
Overall Quest Progress
Looking back, my goals for this past quarter were:
- Continue (and hopefully finish!) drafting Chapter 7 of SotCE
- [REDACTED—sorry, this one’s a secret for now!]
- Set aside some time to plan and schedule some fun date nights for my husband and me
So how did I do?
Uh… not great. But not terribly, either. Let me explain.
Chapter 7 of Shadow of the Curse-Eater is no closer to completion than it was back in winter. However, I have been working on it, slowly but steadily. More on that later.
The secret goal was unfortunately not met, either—it was more of a hope than a real goal, and I shouldn’t have included it, but sometimes I just can’t seem to help myself.
As for the date nights—yes, that one I’ve managed, despite both of us having rather packed schedules lately.
Shadow of the Curse-Eater
As I mentioned, I have not completed Chapter 7 of SotCE yet. However, I’ve been working steadily to revise earlier chapters and rebuild my lorebook. Both of these things are taking longer than I’d hoped, but I’m confident the work will be worthwhile, resulting in a far richer world and far more interesting characters.
Plus, if I’m being honest, this work will also help me get more enjoyment out of the work to come. I feel quite lost writing a story without background information to guide me, and this project has taught me the hard way never to skimp on the planning/outlining phase again.
The Dragon’s Last Flight
The Dragon’s Last Flight remains on hiatus until further notice.
Odds & Ends
- I’m back on social media and back to posting blogs, but not on a regular schedule yet.
- I’ve joined The Writer Community Discord server!
- I’ve become fond of Hobonichi Techo journals and color-coded weekly planning. It helped a lot with getting back on track when I began actively recovering from burnout.
Looking Ahead: Quests for the Next Quarter
My focus for 2024 is light. Despite the lingering shadow of winter, the days are getting longer, the sun is out, and I am doing my best to follow the light of my intuition toward what I hope will be a bright future.
My goals for Q2 2024 include:
- Blocking out at least 10 hr/week to work on SotCE and, hopefully, finish current revisions and lorebook rebuilding
- Continuing my search for fulfilling, paid work and regularly submitting poetry and short prose to various contests and publications
- Continuing to block out space in my calendar for quality time with my husband and our new kitty, Tress
I’m also at a stage in my career when I’m reevaluating my long-term intent and motivations. It’s been an interesting, sometimes complicated, process. But I look forward to eventually regaining some clarity and continuing to forge my path forward with a beautiful persistence.
Thank you, all of you, for reading! See you in the next post.
Kim Berkley is a fantasy author and narrative designer who believes in nothing so much as the magic of a good story. To get first dibs on beta testing opportunities, new releases, and other major announcements, be sure to sign up for her free newsletter!
