Darn – I’d planned to spend today writing the linear option for my interactive novel ‘Blood‘.
Instead I just wrote 6,500 words putting some more ‘magic’ storyline options into one of the apprenticeships the reader’s character can end up going through.
I feel epic, yet also a bit punch-drunk, maybe because I missed my target for the day so completely!
It’s 4 am, I’m sitting in front of the beverages of choice from last night – wine and ketchup. It’s dark . . . and we’re wearing sunglasses.
Time to crack on with some of the last feedback on editing ‘The Aegis Saga – Blood’.
Then I’m going to write the linear option for the interactive story.
Why put a linear option in an interactive novel?
Very, very good question.
Hmm. . . I think I enjoy choice in reading so much that I want others to discover it and hopefully enjoy it too. But let’s face it, the experience doesn’t always come naturally.
Many choicescript stories feel bitty, and the constant demand for the reader to make a choice can also feel demanding.
Hence the linear option. I hope that one or two people will read ‘Blood’ as a linear novel and then say, “actually, I enjoyed that. I want to get involved myself and choose a path through the story.”
That’s the hope, anyway!
I’m at 7,000 words on the short story, I’m preparing Tanya’s plinths and dog sculptures for her show at Chelsea, and I shaved my beard.
A time of flux and razored change for all!
I’m really enjoying writing my short story ‘Venom beneath the skin’ for the competition. I’m basing it on Romeo & Juliet, as I love the play and I’m looking forward to doing something interesting with Juliet’s sleeping poison (after all – the comp. theme is ‘Poisonous Intent!’)
Do these sound familiar?
I definitely fall into ‘information bias’ and ‘cluttering illusion’ myself. . . I don’t even want to go into ‘zero-risk’. Check out the article at sparkonit.com
I’m pulling all the references, artwork and external guidance on the website into two resources that you’ll find on the sidebar.
As I read and benefit from everything that the amazing authors and writers out there in the great wide world are doing, I’d like to keep these gems available here for you and me.
I plan to expand the Writer’s Toolbox and Reader Resource in leaps and bounds as I progress my own writing, publishing and self-promotion. Check them out and tell me what you’d find useful. Otherwise, enjoy!
Sometimes you have to just go for it and try something 😊
I expect many of those visiting the site these days are fellow aspiring interactive fiction writers or choicescript authors.
That’s why I’ve created a page for self-promotion related content so other people can benefit from the bits and pieces I pick up along the way. Click here
I’ll be using all this myself for reference but perhaps some of you will find it useful.
Alright!
I have my sketch outline for the Short Story Competition!
The competition theme is poisonous intent – and it’s taken me a while to engage with the idea and really understand what I want from it.
– IT WILL BE SET IN THE WORLD OF ERIS
– IT WILL BE CONNECTED TO BOOK 2 OF THE AEGIS SAGA!
but. . . spoilers ; )
wish me luck everyone
– this is going to be tough. And I hope some of you will be so good as to beta-test it later this month. 
Between writing ‘The Aegis Saga – Blood’ I went to the beach in Scotland with Tanya and the dogs.
The beach is one of our favourite places and we like to run about together
Well, some of us. (Tanya is more dignified)
That’s it, the full ten chapters is out for proofing and editing : )
In the meantime I’m joining LordIrish’s 4th Annual short story competition to kick start writing the sequel and maybe get a little exposure with other aspiring and published interactive fiction authors!
http://www.choiceofbox.com/cscomp16.html
Charles Parkes 