51°49'31.71"N 10°10'22.07"W

Sunny outside with a 7 knot southerly wind.


Captain’s Log: 06/01/26


It had recently occurred to me a week or so ago that I had neglected to write a log entry for the beginning of May. Thankfully not a lot of activity had passed in that time, however the same cannot be said for the month of May itself. Easily my most stressful, but most recently active in writing months I’ve had for a short while. Enclosed to you my dear crew member, is my address to you on our current course.


Concerning my writing:

I’ve managed a little over 3500 words two weeks ago, and another 3500 last week, all planning on maintaining my current pace on the weekly basis if I can help it. We’re well into the first main act and presently sitting at 47K words and 130 pages in draft 1 for the second entry to my series. As of recently I came across my own writing having a bit of a predicament, and I’m worried I may have bitten off a bit more than I can chew. The best way to describe my situation is I believe I created one too many perspectives surrounding one main scenario. Similar to what Peter Jackson dealt with when it came to the filming of Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers, but instead of three separate events and three separate locations, my current course in draft 1 is relatively similar. Three primary perspectives but all surrounding one main event. Looming over my current writing task of conquering the first main act, and offering a decent pace up to the climax of the second main act, that being the insistent stress of whether I’ve created too much and not enough momentum, or there being too much momentum and not enough surrounding context.

However for those that may end up enjoying the thrill ride of the first book may enjoy the chaos of the second. Lots of things are happening and I’m beginning to wonder if there’s TOO much going on. As well as the question I asked myself while writing the first, do I have too many characters? Some may say yes and/or no. I often wonder if this was a question George R. R. Martin asked himself while writing A Game of Thrones. Hell I wonder if Tolkien asked himself that! But, alas, the draft continues onward with the canvas fully unfurled, and at the helm is my trusty partner in crime, The Creative Monkey.

Fun action be coming!

—Oh! Before I forget, I was asked recently by me co-worker how far along I believed myself to be in my manuscript. I speculate myself to be at least 25% of the way through so far. Aye this book is gonna be much thicker than the first!


Concerning my opinion on Writing:

I was recently buzzing around on my Youtube recommendations and I often come across BookFox’s videos. I’m very fond of the advice he offers in his videos, and whatever tips and wisdom bestowed upon me by an editor for free is wisdom I receive openly.

One of the videos he uploaded recently was a video on POV mistakes new writers tend to make. At one point he mentions a method in Omniscient Third Person writing that I took so personally because of how true it really is. How much better it is to write in Close Third Person, if that be the POV you prefer, but how often in writing in third person, I tend to make the mistake of a Movie Perspective Third Person or the Camera Third Person, that would otherwise not work when trying to write in Close Third Person. Among these unique ways in POV writing, I’ve been disclosed the sin of the Movie Camera Third person from my beta readers haha! So here I’ll admit I’m more a visual person with my writing then I am a Hemingway writer, whereas I neglect writing with the rest of my body. That being something I need to get better at exercising, as well as reminding myself that I’m supposed to be writing in Close Third Person and to properly express visuals in ways that work with the POV.

But another mistake I’m also guilty of, especially when I wrote draft one of TLPK, is excessive head hopping. I wrote so stupendously omniscient that I didn’t realize just how overwhelming it would be for a more general reader.

POV is so immensely important, and yet so vastly overlooked. I could be on a roll with a specific scene, and I’ll unintentionally go full omniscient without even meaning to! All of these things are easy mistakes to make, especially as a new writer. My opinion in this section should be taken more as a reminder to check your POV when writing. Because if you don’t catch the mistakes you make in your POV, your editors and/or beta readers will be there to point it out to you. Offering great opportunities for you in draft 2!


Concerning the Captain:

These past few weeks have been much more productive than the previous few months. However that didn’t come after a great amount of stresses. Be it wedding planning, my kitty’s recent health troubles, car maintenance, and the depression of house hunting. It’s been a disheartening few weeks but as of three weeks to this day, have been incredibly productive in terms of writing.

Be it outlining and mapping out future works, working on the present WIP as well as trying to occupy the creative monkey with a short story from time to time.

I recently got myself a PCP and recently started my first health visits. Among my recent bloodwork and upcoming first physical, my future wife wishes to ensure that I’m in shipshape health. Which also meant I need to start laying off the rum :( But it’s not without reason, I do drink more than I should and it would do me well to lay off the bottle for a while. Even though Bacardi Pineapple rum is SO delicious!

Here’s to my good health!


Concerning the Crew:

One member of the crew twisted her ankle recently and reported to her post with a gimp. She’ll be fine within a few days. Another member of the crew have unfortunate pet health as well, so I do be sharing my empathy with them on that struggle. Our furry little ones are family members that are more than cherished, they offer us a level of fulfillment that can only be measured in hugs and kisses.

Overall, spirits remain high in the turning of the season into the heat of the Summer. Onward we sail!


Until we next make full sail,

Flynn Forecastle ⚓️ 


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