All Chapter Commentaries

For those who are new here, some explanation is necessary.

Back in 2022, I had the bright idea to reboot my Patreon. I made a plan, decided which websites I could feasibly maintain, and set a date. I was going to upload chapters and commentaries as exclusive content to Patreon, notify WordPress (which autoposted to Facebook, Twitter, and Tumblr) and Ko-fi, and later repost the chapters to Royal Road.

Then I had COVID for the second time, right before launch. Which meant that instead of focusing on launch, I was focused on being able to do simple household tasks. I didn’t just spring back, either. I probably should have been in physical therapy for the next several months.

Therefore the first few commentaries are a bit scattered, before I realized I was not going to keep up with everything I had planned on, partly because of COVID and largely because of my shift schedule, which rotates through nights and days. The second half of the rotation cycle messes me up, cognitively and emotionally. Meanwhile I’m still trying to live my normal, daily life. I had to simplify. I focused on Royal Road, where I have active readers, and started using commentary posts to notify WordPress, where my posts are seen and engaged with, even months after I’ve posted. This is starkly opposed to social media, where your engagement with the platform has to be continuous, with minimal recompense for your time. Old content becomes irrelevant, and you’re constantly battling the algorithms just to be noticed by the people who already follow you.

So why commentaries? Why the extra work?

To break the stigma for every discouraged writer who thinks they’re not good enough. Your draft looks ugly? That’s okay. Just because you don’t like what your put on the page doesn’t mean you’re a bad writer. It just means it’s time to take the next step, and learn that the revision process can be a journey of self discovery just as fulfilling and thrilling days as the days when you first began. Revision isn’t just about “murdering your darlings” or hating every word you’ve written because it didn’t come out right. It’s where you really get to dig into who your characters are and what sort of world they’re living in. It’s about the intense satisfaction to be had in taking something you hated, and line by line or page by page, turning it into something beautiful that you didn’t know it could be.

To start with, it’s worth logging the journey. I hated doing this in creative writing classes, but writing about your process actually does help you understand it, and helps you see your work in a different light when you’re stuck. I’ve learned to love it. The ride has been wild.

I chose to log it publicly because I have been in and around writing circles for more than 20 years, and I hear the same things over and over again: writers are getting themselves blocked, getting discouraged, expecting too much of their early drafts, and the same question arises … “Is this okay?” Is the content okay? Is it safe to write about? Does it sound too much like someone else’s? Is it strange to have all sorts of weird personal tricks for getting around the dreaded writer’s block?

You’re not alone, and you’re not as strange as you think. We’re all a bit nuts, but that’s okay. We’re artists–yes, writing is an art form. We think outside the boxes, and it takes a bit of madness to do that.

As to the rest, I ask you: should you really be worried about all of that other stuff before you’ve finished your first draft? We learn by making mistakes. I’m here to tell you to embrace the mess. Your early drafts are but pieces of a puzzle. The sketch or underpainting that precedes the masterpiece. Time and time again, you’ll hear established authors say it: “You can’t edit a blank page.” Your drafts are a safe place for you to roam freely and make mistakes. You’re not under any obligation to share them with anyone–and if you’re worried about what people on social media will say, remember that we live in an age where people will find any reason to hate you and throw shade. Put the device down. Remove the app. Delete the link. Hide it from yourself. Find some way to de-prioritize it so you can focus on writing. A great way to find a healthy community is to find yourself a good critique group full of other writers who understand what you’re going through, and can help you make sense of everything.

After everything I’ve been through, writing classes and critique groups, years of trial and error, and pulling together my own “writing course” tailored in part to the needs of my project, I wanted to share my own journey-in-progress. I would someday love to teach creative writing, but for now my main interest lies in breaking the stigma around drafts and writing in general. Writing isn’t about being perfect. It’s not about trying to sound like someone else. It’s your heart and soul on that page. It’s like learning to sing. You have to stop hating the sound of your own voice and get messy, because the journey towards developing your potential into something full, rich, and amazing begins today.

The best advice I ever received in a writing class is this: Look at the positive stuff first so you don’t get bogged down in the negative. It’s a game-changing mindset. Look at what you have, first. Don’t lose your spirit. My favorite approach to things I don’t like is to print them out and highlight everything I do like, or make bullet lists, so I can figure out how to make those elements work in my favor. Positivity comes first. Game. Changer.

My second favorite word of advice, based on my own experience? Try it on paper. Put the computer down (unless you need to use dictation). The Ryozae Alliance Project began life not on a computer screen, but on paper. I wrote the bulk of this series by hand, and later used outlines to generate a roadmap for the complete series and sort out serious plot issues. To this day, I still use notebooks, notepads, and loose sheets of paper when I need to test ideas that I’m not ready to type out, or I don’t have access to a computer or my phone, or I need to remove electronic distractions. I strongly recommend giving it a shot if you’re not already journaling. It might be the best thing you’ve ever done for yourself.

Ready to start reading Alliance? Be sure to view the complete content advisory.

See chapters and art in advance of everyone else when you support The Ryozae Alliance on Patreon!

Alliance: Part One

Alliance: Part Two

Published by A. Taladay

Alysa Taladay is my pen name, under which my online presence as an artist and writer has coalesced over the years. I'm a US Southerner of mixed Asian descent, and neurodivergent. Please be patient! My old RPG blog will remain up for archival purposes, and in case any old friends want to have a quick chat, sometime, but I'm too busy to play games on the regular, anymore. My "Lightsfire" identity has been merged into Taladay Arts. Lightsfire was a name inspired by a draconic character from my scifi series, and a dragon will continue to represent this aspect of my personal business as an artist. Since I've been using Taladay Arts to represent my sci-fi works (my main focus), it only makes sense to merge.

Advice, art, chapters

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