It’s been a few months, so an actual writing progress update is in order:

• I finished the first draft of Crystals of Ulstra over the summer (and I even got it done before my self-imposed birthday deadline in June).
• The second draft is well underway. Word count goal: ~100,000.
• I also finished outlining the plot for the sequel, Tides of Ulstra.
• In addition, I outlined another novel in the larger Ulstra universe.
• I’m brainstorming ideas for an in-universe YA novel with my partner.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve wanted to write books. Now I have actually done it. Sure, there’s still a long way to go. But I wrote a book. I made it happen. For the first time in my life, I feel like a genuine writer.

I have already made one editing pass to tighten the POVs, remove or modify any unnecessary exposition dumps, ensure continuity, etc. But now I am really taking my time and making sure each chapter is exactly how I want it for the second draft. When it’s finished, I think I will finally be ready to start opening it up to beta readers and seeking their feedback.

I’m grateful for my partner’s steadfast support during the writing process. He is also my alpha reader—the only other person besides myself who has read the entire first draft. His encouragement (and constructive feedback) has carried me this far and continues to make the second draft stronger.

I previously promised a blog post introducing the world of Ulstra, sharing more about the story, and highlighting some of its major characters. That is still in the works. I’m deciding how much I’m ready to put out publicly and how exactly I want to share it. Plot summary, chapter excerpts, character interviews, worldbuilding details? Perhaps all of the above.

In some ways, it can feel strange—even self-absorbed—to be focused on fictional worlds when so much is unraveling around us. But stories are more than escape valves in dark times. I believe they’re acts of resistance.

I’m going to keep telling stories. And I think we should all be creating more. Writing, making art, whatever speaks to you. The world needs it.