53°20'32"N 6°15'43"W

42 Degrees with some rain approaching on our bow, with 10 knot winds trying to take us North.

 

Captain’s Log: 01/06/2026


Summary:

Ahoy lads! It’s the new year! An important moment to let go of the previous year now past, and an opportunity to look forward to the coming tides of new winds ahead of us. Over the bow the sun rises beckoning the call to sail forward, who am I to ignore such a call? Nonetheless the wind be moving out towards the sea, and it’s time to unfurl my sails. But before I do that, it’s time we chart our course.


Concerning my writing:

First and foremost, an effort was made to make it to page 100 before the toll of the end of the year, alas the anticipated arrival to that page was not met. However I’m only behind by 10 pages. Best I arrive later than not at all as many tend to encourage me. Perhaps my self-discipline is louder than their voices because I’m still relatively disappointed with myself, all while still proud of the efforts I’ve made. Nearly all the foundations have been laid out and everything is carefully being placed out for not only the big first act, but the bigger moments that’ll happen later on in the second installment of TLPK series.

One of my biggest challenges is writing out dialogue scenes. I believe I've covered this before, but alas I have to vent on it again. Writing out conversation scenes shouldn't be so challenging, and yet my brain has this bad habit of going blank whenever one comes up. With some of my other characters that I'm more familiar with, the newer characters are even more challenging because, I suppose, I'm in that stage of the first draft where I'm trying to discover their voices. One in particular where she hasn't really done much of anything significant other than be present, while also not saying anything super important either. So I need to better evaluate how I'm going to implement this character into the story and why she's so important as a key figure in both her own story but the main plot as well. What makes characters so important half the time? Well put exposition in well written dialogue scenes; and right now I'm at war with myself with what's important for both character development in the moment, as well as properly placing in some much needed exposition. Many writers are so much better at it than I am, so this next little while I'm going to be paying closer attention to the dialogue in both books and movies/ TV shows. Maybe that'll help me better understand how to juggle the words of a well written dialogue scene.

Plus I'm a bit of an introvert so maybe that has some influence as well haha!


Concerning my opinion on writing:

Much less an opinion, I suppose, and more an observation. It definitely helps fight against writer's block by playing around with ideas to help get those creative gears going.  While listening to music obviously helps even more so, but sometimes just sitting down and writing out something super silly and whacky, can be really liberating mentally. Especially when it's something you don't even have to take seriously but then it goes from being super silly, to something that ends up taking itself more seriously in the end. For example, back during October of 2025, when many artists participate in Inktober, I had taken advantage of how little I need to think when it comes to some of the prompts. One of those days, the prompt Deer had been the word. While I would've just done any regular little sketch of Bambi or something, I then had this fun idea of Merlin the Wizard (From The Sword in the Stone) helping to heal the wounded Bambi from a recent hunter attack and it then turns him into this towering anthropomorphic Disney/ Jojo character. Thus Bambi the Hunter of Hunters was born. An idea I'm very likely not the first to come up with, but it was such a liberating feeling coming up with the narrative for such a silly idea which then became it's own story that I definitely have written down somewhere, and also will DEFINITELY make into a legit graphic novel at some point. Take it from someone who actively battles Writer's Block, sometimes creating something super silly and uncanny can really help lube up those creative gears.


Concerning the Captain:

As of recently, I made a much wanted purchase off the Facebook Marketplace for a mandolin. An 8-string instrument I've been so deeply wanting to learn to play for a few months now. 


However she has a broken nub on her tailpiece which won't be a difficult fix, but otherwise still playable. Recently sat down and started playing around and even learned to play my all time favorite shanty Drunken Sailor. A very easy song to play and not difficult to learn either. So far my mental health and spirits are at an all time high as I start this new year.


Concerning the Crew:

As of recently, just shortly before the holiday season, the mother of one of me close and dearest crewmates, had passed away. Times have been rough recently for him and my heart truly goes out to him and his family. With him living with my dear first mate at Tortuga, spirits have been very melancholy as of late.

As for the rest of the crew, sickness seems to be creeping around in the dark corners of my ship. I'll have everyone be taking the necessary precautions to ensure of their health. I need everyone in good health and their wits about them. I have no time nor the patience to deal with sickness going into this new year, not an omen of good will I'd reckon. Onward we sail!


Until we next make full sail

Flynn Forecastle ⚓

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