51°55'44"N 8°34'14"W

Sunny day outside but a chilly 20 degrees, Southerly winds of 5 knots.


Captain's Log: 2/4/2026

 I've often wondered if my writing process is any different from others'. Or if in some crazed maddening way I'm one of those slightly more strange to what could be considered the "normal process" when it comes to writing. Odds are likely that I'm not much more different than many others, who may possibly, think the same way towards themselves. I'm curious how other writers communicate with their muses, unless you're one without a muse, which would fascinate me further.


Concerning my Writing:

While I hadn't made the milestone in the allotted time that I had originally hoped for,  I can now say with full confidence that I have officially made it to my 100th page of the first draft for the second entry in my series. As I stated in my last few entries, dialogue scenes are the bane of my existence. I'm not very skilled with them in the slightest. When it comes to giving relatively decent character development as well as giving necessary exposition that is both relevant to the conversation topic, all while feeling like it naturally would be brought up with the characters themselves. It is a challenge to say the least. But then again, it is after all, the first draft, and I need not burden myself by treating it as if I have a deadline to follow. Thus I'll be sure to let it all bloom in all of it's cringe worthy glory when I bring it up with my beta readers.

Sometimes all you need to do is bullshit the scene just to push it forward, and then make your way to the scene you actually want to be writing in. Even after bullshitting the whole ending of the last scene in particular, I can easily go back to it in the next draft and fix it up and make it more presentable. The next scene/ chapter, is what truly matters when it comes to exposition. I can go back to throwing some witty banter between Elric's crew all while setting everything up for the big first act of the book. There have been a few relatively small events that have occurred in the first 100 pages, mostly for the sake of keeping things interesting and exciting for the reader and not bore them too much with me laying down the foundation for everything to come in future entries, as well as the manuscript at present.

Fun things are about to happen!


Concerning my opinion on writing:

One thing I often forget while writing, especially with my first drafts, is to properly tap into the senses when describing or showing something. This concept I often overlook while typing away on my keyboard among the flow of words my muse whispers into my mind's ear. The process of telling instead of showing is something I forget I'm even doing until I'm told so unfortunately. So to counter this, I've taken into reading more critically when authors tap into the senses to show me something, compared to just telling me outright. Ernest Hemingway's The Old Man and the Sea, does this so well (in my humble opinion). Little things that help make a scene appear so clearly in my head and all he needs to do is show if with the senses. He can tell you the scene, but then put the cherry on top with a showing of the senses. One of my favorite examples would be:

"The sun was two hours higher now and it did not hurt his eyes so much to look into the east."

Something so subtle and yet so perfectly well established. Both telling and feeling through the character's actions. Something I'm actively trying to practice and do better at. It's challenging to say the least, especially when the chapter plays so clearly in my mind that I forget I'm not doing any showing but telling it all the way through.

While I'm merely writing my first draft of my second manuscript, it is a practice I need to do better with. I see many other new writers, like myself, on the r/Writers subreddit that I personally believe are much more skilled in the methods of showing and not telling than I am. Nevertheless! Showing and not telling is a practice that has a time and place in every manuscript, and reading many classic works tend to help me understand this better. 


Concerning the Captain:

I've been mentally drained and tend to be going in and out of what many are telling me to be symptoms of burnout. Mingled in with the stresses of what's been going on with the US lately. I've been trying to distract myself by resorting to more artistic mediums by sketching again, which I believe has been helping to put my mind more at ease. Considering the overwhelming amount of stress that this year will potentially bring, with house hunting, and wedding planning and trying to build an art portfolio as well as continue my writing and keep up with my log entries. My mind has been a mess to say the least.

Oh and trying to keep a fit lifestyle by going to the gym 4 days a week!

So yeah I'm just drained honestly and doing the best I can to keep things moving. I'm seldom ever lounging about as I wish I could be, but work needs to be tended to and there be no place for laziness on board my ship!!! Least of all from it's captain!


Concerning the crew:

Many are complaining about the cold as if winter were some illusive thing that rarely shows itself except as an inconvenience. Thankfully no sickness seems to be lurking about and everyone, outside of the consistent complaints of the cold, are in good spirits. However they often need to be reminded that they'll be complaining even more so upon meeting the heat of the summer, best they appreciate the cool weather now before the heat arrives. At least in the winter, you can bundle yourself up or work harder to maintain good amounts of body heat. Can't really do that in the summer now can you? 😏

Sailing on!


Until we next make full sail,

Flynn Forecastle ⚓

 

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