I started writing this on a late May morning. Clouds are the order of the day with a temperature in the 50s – dark spots of rain from yesterday’s shower cover the yard. Last week had more than one day of sunshine and a bit of heat. Oregon weather never can make up it’s mind. Up and down weekly forecast describes how this month’s writing has been.
Real quick: I couldn’t find suitable images small enough to section it up. Some setting to fiddle with.
Here is…
What I wrote in May:
- More of Just as Human Chapter 7.
- Love Thy Nerd article first draft, plus editing.
My mood has been a hit or miss writing Chapter 7. As I said in my previous update, it has a tough section I had planned for a while, which Ive tweaked, and that made it better. First, I am going forth with my original idea. Then I am deleting specific lines in favor of a better idea. Further down the plot, this changes a few moments, including the ending in a better way. Editing my chapter spreadsheet showed me where those changes take place. Also showed me that I needed a simpler plot. So, I removed scenes that I could try again later. One or two can be expanded on in the existing chapters later. For the meanwhile, they were overcomplicating things. My chapter content became a bit more streamlined. That really helped put the end of writing this in place for…
later this summer.
Yep! Going to finish the last approximate 25,000 words by the end of August. This misshapen, broken draft of a passion project is gonna be done.
*fist pump*
Sometimes writers need a supplemental project. I need to break up the challenge with another small piece – my next Love Thy Nerd article.
It is my finale for the newer trilogy of Tomb Raider videogames, discussing Shadow of the Tomb Raider. Writing these over the last year and seven months has been a terrific learning experience. Seriously. The two editors over three articles – Madeline and Joey – have showed me how to turn these pieces from crap into something readable. Strong, even. It’s sad seeing sentences that I ooze over get put through the shredder, uh, backspace bar. But.. kill your darlings.
Editing is writing. Personally, I believe it is my strongest article for Love Thy Nerd. And I thought that on my analysis for Halo. Typically happens every time you are ratcheting up the quality bar, you know? You kind of aim high each time. This is my fourth feature-length article; fifth as a contributor. I love the topic of this one. All three of these have surprisingly applied to my life in more ways than one. I hope they apply to readers much more. If they do, that makes me grin.
Work Life
Since the beginning of April, I got hired for a hospital in a non-clinical role, through my temp agency. This contract-to-hire assignment has been a great challenge – a good learning experience. Long story short, I am taking that with me into my next step. For me, it was dull, unfulfilling, but a great brain exercise. Making more sense out of health insurance is a bonus. After the computer’s clock arrived at 5pm, I did not have much creative juice. I managed some writing, even worked my way back up to five hundred or more words a session.
Real Life
Connecting with contract work above, I will be returning to the world of freelance writing. Some of you know that life: that hustle before it all makes sense (literally), clients email you a lets-do-it message, and you try not living paycheck-to -paycheck.
Working these office roles since September 2021 have expanded my skillset. Stuff that intimidated me for a while. I used to think it was all far too much for my grey matter to absorb. Looking back, I can juggle more programs, use sheets of data and information, locate missing tidbits, and communicate with more detail. I am taking it with me into giving freelancing a second try. It’s one avenue into professional writing that I can break in to. With patience, planning, and persistence – and God pointing “Take that job” – I am confident this will work.
Who knows? A full-time permanent position can still jump out of the woodworks. It could work for time, then lead to something more. My game writing goal remains the same. Taking the longer path is the direction I felt an urge to this week. That said, I am coming to terms with an acknowledgement: not developing major video games. Only God knows whether or not I will.
For next time:
- Wrapping up Chapter 7. Starting Chapter 8, maybe getting that done sooner.
- Having the last Tomb Raider article published.
- Re-learn freelance writing.
As always, thank you for reading!
Matthew Birdzell 