Zozo the Hobo

Sorry, I haven't been active for a long time. Went through a few mental burnouts, but over this past month, I've also been busy, finally completing the outline for many stories, so after this summer break, I can exclusively be writing chapters and not get hung up on outlining the chapter before that. It's helped me mentally because for some years I've had multiple ideas and half-realized stories in my drafts just collecting dust, and I wanted to feel like I was actually making progress, so I actually pre-planned many stories. Now, for the most part, I'm creating the rest of the chapter outlines, so when I write, it'll be smooth sailing for me. 
          
          Stories I've mentioned before and stories that are going to get more chapters are the following: 
          
          (Published)
          
          Sunken
          Under Different Stars
          Bucket Boys  
          
          (Upcoming)
          
          Black Blood
          FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT!
          Let Me Love You, Loser
          Beneath The Mark
          Butterflies Under The Lies
          (And two more others - not officially named)
          
          I'm also aware I have other stories I haven't touched in ages that are published; those are TECHNICALLY discontinued, but I'm forcing myself to believe I'll come back to them, largely to update them, but if I touch those stories now, they'll be all I'll work on- so... Not yet. 
          
          These stories I'm most excited for, and I hope you'll be too in the near future :) Till then, bye loves!

Update: I got surgery. 
          
          This is day three after my surgery, still healing, but it put a lot of the work I was working on in the background. My biggest focus is Sunken; chapter 3 will be out, perhaps by the end of this week, so it's something to look forward to. 
          
          Also, I will be working on the pilot chapters of upcoming stories, which I will reveal one right now:
          
          I Own You Demon.
          
          If this rings any bells for anyone, I love you.
          
          Anyway, that's all! Bye!

Hellooo everyone, I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas. I sure did! And if you celebrated Hanukkah, that's even more wonderful. I hope you had a great time!
          
          Now.
          
          Update on Sunken: Still writing it. I took a long break for Christmas, but I'll get right back to it now that the holiday has settled.
          
          Plans: I wanna try something. If you don't know, I have almost 40 story drafts from over the years, going back to as early as 2022, AND I WANNA GET THEM OUT. I think they deserve it!
          
          So here's the idea. Kinda like I've been doing, I will post a series of first and maybe second chapters for my potential stories. And, like when animators make a pilot to test which one gets more traction or is worth it, I'll be doing something similar.
          
          This is mainly so I can get my foot out the door with something to start on, which forces me to see it as a priority rather than... A draft, lol.
          
          I have a few stories I want to at least get a headstart on and get on a schedule so I can bounce back and forth between them and still be consistent.
          
          New year goals: I want to have at least 5 chapters made for every new story, including Sunken. That will give it solid ground to stand on before proceeding to make more chapters.
          
          I also want to ATTEMPT finishing my older... older stories. But to preface, the quality change will undoubtedly be drastic. 
          
          But yes! These are my plans and goals for the new year, and I'll keep you updated from time to time.
          
          Bye Loves! (´▽`ʃ♡ƪ)

Finally working on a new chapter of Sunken!
          
          It might take a little bit more time just because I'm also working on the outline of future chapters, but I'll keep you updated.

Which chapter from either story would you like to see come out next? 
          
          Sunken (Mermaid/Pirate)
          
          Or
          
          Follow The White Rabbit (Zombie Apocalypse)
          
          Let me know~!

I'M FINALLY FINISHED WITH THE CHAPTER OF BUCKET BOYS, AND IT'S SCHEDULED TO BE PUBLISHED IN TWO HOURS. 
          
          THANK YOU FOR BEING PATIENT, AND I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND THE LENGTH. 
          
          Bye loves!

Quick update on Bucket Boys & me.
          
          This chapter will most likely be over 15k words from the number of scenes I made just for that chapter alone. Each chapter has 3 acts to it, so there are typically three big scenes. I'm on the first one alone, and it's already nearing 10k, lol. 
          
          It really doesn't take me that long to write a chapter, as I've stated before, but getting the ball rolling for me is extremely difficult. I lack the discipline to keep writing consistently. I'll have week-long phases where I focus on writing alone, and others where I'm more enticed to game or draw. 
          
          I had mentioned in my last post that Chapter 4 is about a week away from being published. Clearly...
          
          I lied. 
          
          Granted, I was unexpectedly busy that week, but the time I did have, I was in limbo cause I genuinely wanted to do nothing, cause nothing could make me happy. But cheesecake...
          
          I didn't get cheesecake.
          
          But you know what I did get? A PROPER MEAL I DIDN'T HAVE TO COOK FOR MYSELF. CRACKER BARREL I LOVE U AND YOUR BISCUITS. Two days prior, I had also gotten to go to a Mexican restaurant, where I swear they put something in my fried ice cream, cause I was giggling and everything around me just made me laugh for no reason. Must've been a sugar high...didn't know those existed for people my age-
          
          Timskip to now. I am refreshed, I am rejuvenated, and I am REBORNZ. Bucket Boys WILL be published really soon. I've gotten into a groove, and by next post, it will be out. Sorry for the delay. I hope you can wait just a little while longer. 
          
          Hehe, okay, Bye loves (¬‿¬)

Here's a popular tip: When writing in a specific time setting, whether it's the '90s or another country, consider using songs that relate to that time and place. Hell, make an entire playlist for your story if it helps. 
          
          I don’t know why I didn’t think of this earlier for Bucket Boys, but referencing popular Italian songs in certain parts of the story really helps reinforce that it’s set in Italy, rather than feeling like Little Italy in the middle of America lmao.
          
          I think I’ve spent at least three hours compiling a long list of Italian songs for specific scenes, listening to many of them, and gathering a handful to include in the story. I must say, some of them are bangers. I highly recommend listening to them when they come up, hehe (. ❛ ᴗ ❛.)
          
          Anyways, Bucket Boys chapter 4 is about a week away from being published. 
          
          Bye loves!

Ya'll, I need to get back to writing more chapters for U.D.S. Honestly, I want to rewrite the first chapter and start from there because I feel like I could explain things better. I want to avoid that dreaded info dump, which is one of the writing sins in fantasy that I've unfortunately fallen into too many times. 
          
          And omg, in my free time I've been plotting/outlining like crazy, and URGGHH! Why this sh** LOOKING SO FINE, I JUST WANNA- *devours paper* -Y'know?! I'm so invested that I went out of my way and started drawing them in that world, and now I'm drawing the dang animals that live there, like I'm legit too far gone. (Watch it be like the honeymoon phase, and after I just ghost my work, lol)
          
          Anyway, that's my plan for the future, but I am currently finishing up Chapter 4 of Bucket Boys, and it should be out soon. 
          
          Bye loves!

Question; do you have a certain Playlist you listen to while writing? I can't imagine anyone just writing in pure silence lol