(no subject)

[thesettingsun]

So clothes and plants being green again is super cool and everything but this is important enough to get its own post:

I finished the second draft of my novel!

Now I have to run it by some editors before I send the manuscript to a publisher. I've already edited it from my first draft, but other eyes won't hurt, you know?

There are some people who already asked to see it (Fai) and some people I was going to ask to look at it (John B., please help me as my non-science-fiction-reading friend) but if you want to take a while to go through it and give an opinion or tell me if I missed a typo I'd be happy to send you the text!

Chiyo, let's talk about cover art?

[Shuji will be quick to send anyone who asks the manuscript, which I have not written out the entire novel for, but you can have an excerpt and some notes?]

Comments

[doublesmall]

so how long til we have a copy for the Inkwell, huh?

my focus was always poetry but you know I wouldn't mind giving you opinions anyway.

[thesettingsun]

As soon as it's printed you're getting a signed copy.

You know I always listen to your opinions!

[file sent!]

[ohrlyeh]

i want to have a look. what is it about?

[thesettingsun]

[File sent!]

It's a space drama centering around the theme of moral relativism. I'd be honored if you read it!

[writing dokis]

[ohrlyeh]

thank you. i'll put aside time to read it in full and give you my thoughts.

is this your first novel?

[admiringly]

ahhhHHHHHHH SHUJI CONGRATS ON FINISHING!!!! (ﾉ^ヮ^)ﾉ*:・ﾟ✧
and i'd be happy to read it! a sneak preview!

ok yes!
what do you want for your cover?

[thesettingsun]

[Sends her a file!]

I know I want it to be obviously space/alien/whatever-based, but I don't want generic Rugged Man Poses Heroically. Ideally there aren't people at all - I've described the aliens in parts, but I don't go down a laundry list of 'they're this tall and they have this color skin'.

How do you feel about a drawing an alien landscape?

[admiringly]

i'm not the fastest reader so i'll get back to you once i'm finished but i like what little i've read so far!
it does a good job of setting up the world!

oooh yes!! i'm the best at landscapes so i'd feel comfortable with that!
but my weakness is buildings so if you have buildings in mind i don't know how that'll turn out

[drydrown]

My, that is quite the accomplishment. Important enough for its own post indeed. ♡

Mind if I ask what it's about?

[thesettingsun]

Thank you!

[Praise him, complete stranger.]

It's a space drama centered around the theme of moral relativism. The plot starts with a man's planet being destroyed, forcing him to live in an alien society with wildly different values from his own.

[drydrown]

Moral relativism... Interesting topic, though I'd imagine it's a bit difficult to keep it from getting heavy-handed? But then, I'm not much of a storyteller.

[...also frequently runs headlong into the problem of "what the fuck is empathy, can you eat it" so moral relativism discussions tend to get. interesting. when cumore is involved.]

[handpuppet]

Congratulations on making it really far on the novel! It sounds like a lot of work to make.

I'd be happy to help out and read it. 'v' What's it about and what language?

[thesettingsun]

Thank you very much!

[This person's icon makes them look young, maybe don't use 'moral relativism'.]

It's written in English, and it's about someone whose planet is destroyed, so they have to live on another planet and get used to living with aliens, who have a different culture from humans and different values.

[handpuppet]

Oooo 'o' It sounds a bit like a metaphor for moving to a different place? I think I could definitely put my feelings about it if that were the case.

[evidentiary]

I wouldn't be opposed to reading it.

[thesettingsun]

[File sent!]

I was hoping you'd say that.

[evidentiary]

Thank you very much. I'll be sure to text you once I've finished.

[vitis]

well, at least my ignorance has got one thing going for it
let's do this

[thesettingsun]

[File sent!]

You're a saint.

[anguinous]

You're writing a novel? Congratulations on finishing your second draft.

[thesettingsun]

Thank you! It's been a long time in the making but it's finally ready to show other people!

[Praise him more, stranger.]

[imaginex]

Congratulations, Shuji-kun! (๑˃ᴗ˂)ﻭ

What a big milestone!

How many more drafts before you're able to publish?

[thesettingsun]

Thanks!

It depends. I'm definitely doing a third draft based on the feedback I get here, and I'll probably send that to publishers. Depending on how that goes and the kinds of things they say, I might write a fourth draft and send that one out, and so on.

[esperimental]

That you're able to post about progress in public is a pretty good sign.

This is the same one you told me about from when we talked last?

[ and... technically on accident but shh ]

[thesettingsun]

Same one! I've gotten a lot done since we talked about it, it's really exciting!