Decimation.
As of the last day of last year, the first draft of no. 35 was done. As of today, the editing pass is done; some tuck and polish and boom. Patrons have already seen the “track listing,” as it were; that brief chapter header that’ll lead you astray if you let it make you think it’s telling you what’s to come. I should be releasing the chapter itself to patrons and paying customers early next week, I think. To the rest of the world on or about February 8th, I should think. See you then.
They say that writing a book doesn’t teach you anything about writing books; all you’ll ever learn, if you’re lucky, and paying attention, is how to write the book you’re writing. I was weirdly conscious of this, writing no. 35: each scene as I figured it out unfolded something that changed the earlier scenes, or will once I re-write them. What was odd about it is this sort of energy usually drives me to scowl and rip things out by the roots and re-do them. This time I was moved instead to just, take the occasional note, and otherwise let it be.
And as I edited this chapter, the reasons perhaps for why began to hove into something of a view: the changes needed, on the level of a word, or a sentence, were small enough. But the shifts they ended up engendering, in focus, in drive, in direction—these small (enormous) mysteries are why I keep getting up, of a morning.
Anyway: sit you down, you English Merchants, Factors, and Travailers. Whole Truth does with our Spirits hold Commerse.
(Originally posted on the Patreon.)
