Hail and Well Met, Newsletter Friends!

Chapter 5 of Short Steps, Tchaikovsky's Another One Bites the Dust, has been published! I'm sorry it's so late, incidentally. I suppose that's what I get for trying to declare a schedule. If it's any consolation, this one is about 4,000 words, which is twice as long as previous chapters.

It’s the best brunch that Crowley has ever had. Really, it could only be improved by Aziraphale, still stuck behind the register while Gabriel remains in the vicinity. It would be so nice if he could talk to Aziraphale without worrying about Gabriel. Why can’t they have a meal together where they don’t have to worry about anybody’s boss or coworkers or creepy outside consultants? Just the two of them, at a restaurant somewhere, talking as long as they please about whatever they want, like a date. Why doesn’t he just ask Aziraphale to go on a date with him?

Wait.

Holy shit.

He should ask Aziraphale to go on a date with him.

I thought maybe I had some really awful writers block for a minute, but it turns out it was probably just a vitamin D deficiency. The next time you feel an acute lack of creative motivation, ask yourself “what essential nutrients are missing in my diet right now?” and buy some supplements before you trash the project.

I've been very preoccupied with pacing lately, which I think is the other part of what held up this chapter. Pacing is such a weird, ambiguous thing to talk about---you can't point to successful pacing the way you can point to a clever turn of phrase, or a significant moment in character development. And yet, pacing is such a universal issue when it comes to writing. It's not a form-specific skill like incorporating quotations or writing dialog; it matters in everything from novels and dissertations to emails and twitter threads. Pacing is really what keeps readers hooked on a piece, more than an interesting subject matter or a well-crafted metaphor.

Pacing for this chapter was hard because it's the first chapter where (spoilers?) two things have to happen, instead of just one thing (okay probably not a spoiler). There's still one long arc, but the scene meaningfully shifts halfway through, and keeping the continuity is tough. I almost broke it up into two chapters, but that doesn't fix pacing problems so much as it just...introduces new ones. Hence the 4k frankenchapter.

Look at me, writing fiction for a mere six months and already waxing philosophical about the nature of the process. Maybe I overshot on the vitamin D.

On the WIP docket: trying my best to stick to Short Steps now that Hellebore is out of my system (tbh, looking forward to not having that be the first thing on my profile anymore. That's one hell of a first impression). The second part of that plus all the other oneshot drafts are still kicking around. I've also taken to lurking on the Good Omens kinkmeme, which is decidedly dangerous way to spend time, especially if you collect and hoard projects.

And Broadchurch! Don't think I've forgotten about you, Broadchurch. You are officially on hold until late March, because I'm still not allowed to fail all my classes, but the good news is that I think I've nailed down which Broadchurch is next out of my...four different Pommel and Guard sequel ideas? Goodness.

I'm also now at the epicenter of a COVID-19 outbreak, which may or may not affect publication. Basically, if things go well I'll have the chapter six out in a couple weeks, if thing go badly it might take longer than that, if things go really, really badly it might be sooner than that, and if I actually get the coronavirus I'll be sure to give you all a shoutout when the reporters show up to my apartment.

---unsmilingchuck