Weekly Update 12

Weekly Update 12

Hello everyone! This week marked the beginning of my “finding an agent” journey and so far things have been going as expected.

Every weekday I try to query five agents, and so far, I have had three responses! They are both no’s, but that is a good thing!

When querying agents, it is expected to be a series of rejections before one of them agrees to represent the author. Stephen King had eighty rejections before someone agreed to publish Carrie. I am very excited to continue this journey, and so far it hasn’t been fruitless. Two of the three rejections I have received so far had excellent feedback and that is very motivational.

Also, my parents read it! They liked it, and it was very emotional to hear their thoughts on it. I am very thankful they wanted to because for several of them, science fiction isn’t their preferred genre.

Alright, time to get back at the search! See you next week with either good news or more of the same.

Weekly Update 11

Hello everyone! I have officially taken my book as far as I can by myself, and I am now about to start the long process of finding an agent.

Yesterday I gave my book to my parents! It was pretty emotional for me because my father was a big inspiration for the content, and my mom is why I love reading and wanted to become an author. It was awesome finally giving them my story, and I hope they like it.

My next updates will be a lot of the same now that I have finished the book: “This week I didn’t find an agent.” But while I look for an agent I think I will start outlining my next book, so I might update you on that one… if I feel like it.

In my personal life, I have just restarted Parks and Recreation! What a great show, it has been a great time and it has now cemented itself as one of my top three shows.

Next week, I hope I can give you all good news!

See you next week!

Weekly Update 10

Weekly Update 10

Hello all!

Welcome to my tenth weekly update, what a fun milestone! I feel a little guilty because I didn’t write at all on this historic day (the tenth weekly update) and instead suffered under the unmerciful and unforgiving hand of the dentistry profession before returning home to play more of Destiny’s newest expansion Lightfall (I have no idea if you italicize DLC titles). But, I do have some updates for you concerning my book.

I have two more chapters to self-edit then I move on to implementing the changes. This means that by the next update next week, I will be done and in the final stretch of my goal: finding an author.

I am excited but also very nervous to start this leg of the journey, I can’t wait to see how long it takes me to find one! It could take anywhere from one day to twenty months. And that is being generous.

You will know as soon as I know!

In my personal life, not much has happened outside of Destiny. The expansion, Lightfall, is kind of “meh,” in a general sense. The story felt rushed and full of missed opportunities, but the gameplay is fun. Strand as a subclass is very cool to use and I love swinging around like spiderman. I hope the rest of the year has a better story, and that the good parts of the story set up in the expansion are expanded upon (see what I did there?).

And that is it for week ten! I hope you see you back next week for the longest and most boring part of my journey to become an author.

See you later!

Weekly Update 9

Hello everyone! I am sorry I broke my streak of updating you all on Mondays but I got distracted editing and completely forgot to blog.

So far, the process has been great! At first, I was discouraged by all of the flaws and inconsistencies I was finding in my manuscript but now I feel excited whenever I find something that needs to change because it means that it will get that much better by the time I am done!

I am more than halfway done editing at this point. Once I have completely edited it on the printed copy all I have to do is make those changes to the document on my computer. Then the final step: find an agent!

I am so close, I can’t wait for you all to finally read what I have been working on for, wow, eight months. That is way closer to a calendar year than I thought it was. That is crazy! Time flies when you are trying to accomplish a dream, I guess.

Today is a very exciting day because Destiny 2: Lightfall is released today! At 11:00 am central time I will be exploring a new planet with some new powers… hopefully. Destiny has had a rocky track record when it comes to release days and connection issues.

I also (finally) bought Hogwarts Legacy and wow is it fun! I was kind of surprised I would enjoy it so much given the current climate of “live-service” games. I am of course a Hufflepuff, by the way.

That’s it for me! Hopefully, by the time I update you all next week, I will be done or close to it.

See you next week!

Weekly Update 8

Hey guys! Today I did something awesome! I ordered a complete physical print of my manuscript! It feels so weird to call it that but that is what it is, a manuscript (I hope you read that with the same accent I used to type it). It kind of feels weird, but I am so excited to see my work printed out onto paper!

This is the final step before I start querying agents, but I am not sure how long it will take. At the earliest: a week. At the latest: two or maybe even three weeks. I have to read the entire thing very carefully and then go back to the computer to make changes. In addition to being excited, I am also worried. This could be the biggest personal roadblock I have faced during this project because it is the last one I am directly responsible for. After this, all I have to do is wait and hope an agent notices me… but this last step is entirely on me.

Part of me is worried that I won’t get past this step. I have already started to feel the “drag,” the feeling that all this work has been for nothing. My biggest fear is that when I pick up my manuscript it will be left on my desk, forgotten to time. I have hinted at it before but I do that, or at least, I have done that, with other undertakings. I can’t count how many ideas I have abandoned in my life, and I hope this isn’t one of them.

It can’t be.

In my personal life, I accomplished some minor achievements. I beat all three of the villains that come in the Marvel Champions box (I absolutely love the game) and I finished Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn: The Final Empire! I loved the book but I am mostly proud of myself because I finished a book (haven’t done that in a bit). I think I am going to start Leo Tolstoy’s Anna Karenina next, but I am not sure.

The last bit of big news is that this is the final week Ian, one of my closest friends and beta readers, will be in America before he is deployed to Africa. I am excited and nervous for him, and I will miss him for the whole year he is gone.

Well, that is about it. I will see you all next week!

Weekly Update 7

Hey everyone!

This has been a pretty exciting time for the book because I have continued to make significant changes to the draft. It hasn’t changed to an entirely new story but it does have more bells and whistles than the draft I gave to my beta readers. I am a little worried I am changing things for the worse, but only time will tell.

The idea of getting the attention of an agent and then eventually getting a real editor is intriguing, terrifying, and thrilling all at once. I suspect I will be done with this draft by this week or the next, until then, I will continue toiling away at the pot until it is good and ready (that metaphor was cringy, sorry).

In my personal life news: I got a new tattoo! This one is special because it is a reference to my favorite author’s first book Name of the Wind and it is a shared tattoo with Ian; a beta reader and close friend. It is the word “BLOODLESS” on my left arm.

I also discovered something wonderful! Because of the recent events surrounding Dungeons and Dragons the name “Pathfinder” has been thrown around a lot on the internet and in my friend group. So, out of curiosity, I picked up a beginner’s box for the sci-fi variant “Starfinder…” and I think I like it more than DND.

This is very shocking to me and my friends but I love the setting and character creation was so easy I wanted to make three more right away. I love the similarities to DND 5e because it makes the game approachable. I haven’t played a game yet, but I want to so badly! We can add it to the list under “Vampire: The Masquerade.”

Well, that is it for this update! Hopefully, by the next update, I will be either done or very close to being done with this draft! Have a great week!

Weekly Update 6

Hey guys! Look at me, updating you on a Monday! I am proud of myself all over again.

I have officially finished implementing my beta readers’ feedback and man was it emotional. Now, my book is officially not mine anymore because so many people have read it. An odd feeling, but I am still very grateful to all of them and I can’t wait to see their reactions to the changes I am making!

That is what I have left to do, by the way, make changes. I have two major changes I would like to make to the plot left, and I just got done making a small change during my daily writing session.  I did a super fun thing and made a title page! Man, I can feel it, the slow creep to the finish line.

After my changes are made I will print it out in an intimidating fashion and then edit it. What an exciting time! I can’t wait for you all to have a copy someday!

In my personal life, not much has happened since last week. One major change is my cousin just had a baby yesterday! His name is Wyatt and he was VERY early, but both he and his mother are healthy. I can’t wait to meet him one day!

Well, that is it for this week! A busy but calm time in my life means a shorter update.

I will see you all next week!

Weekly Update 5

Ok, this time, I have a super good excuse!

I started implementing feedback! For the first time in almost a month I sat down and worked on my “magnum opus,” and man did it feel great!

With every note, I read and then resolved I felt the story getting better and better! It is a little hard to describe my feelings at this point because of it. I feel like I am the closest and the farthest I’ve ever been to this story getting published. It was weird when I realized after this step all that is left is printing it out and looking for technical errors. The last step. Then, the long and windy road of querying agents.

My beta readers are the best, and I can’t thank them enough for their notes and perspectives on my work. It took a lot for me to show this to them and they all handled it with the seriousness and care that I needed. Here are their names! Jakob, Hayden, Ian, Lillie, Sam, and Faith. I can’t wait for this project to be done so they can see how much their help has impacted me.

One more thing! I finally, finally, discovered the title! I won’t tell you it now because I don’t know if it is ready to be known by the world yet, but I am very excited about it!

Ok, I took a break from writing to update you all so I will jump off here to get back at it!

See you next week!

Weekly Update 4

Well darn it, I am proud of myself.

Sure, I missed another deadline. Sure, I always apologize at the start of these things because I always miss a deadline. Sure, it’s getting a little old now even though I just started this blog.

Despite all of this I am proud of myself because I am still trying. I wasn’t kidding when I said I usually don’t stick with things this long. That is why I am proud of myself; not only did I write a whole book, but I am maintaining a weekly blog.

But I still owe you an apology because I am maintaining it very poorly. I have just set an alarm on my phone to go off every Monday at 10:30 am central time. I know before I said my life wasn’t interesting enough to have a true weekly update but if these past few weeks are any indication I was very mistaken.

My beta readers are officially done with the book! I am moving on to the sixth draft next week, and shortly after that, I will do my final revisions. This means the seventh draft will be the copy I show potential agents. This is very exciting, but also a little daunting. I haven’t looked at my own work with a “writer’s eye” in some time. I hope I don’t make it worse in these final stages.

Here are some milestones I have accomplished this week: I finally finished Avatar: The Last Airbender after years of knowing how it ends. It was amazing, and I recommend it to everyone. I also got my third tattoo! It is the school of the wolf logo from Witcher 3. This will come as no surprise if you know me. I love the tattoo, I love it more now that it is healed completely. I finally received the Gjallarhorn nerf gun from Bungie! The thing is massive and very fun to shoot, though, in classic nerf fashion, the darts are easy to lose. I was hit with a huge wave of nostalgia when I opened the box and smelled the plastic. I used to LOVE nerf guns, but I haven’t opened one in so long. I also purchased a copy of Vampire: The Masquerade, the tabletop RPG. I cannot WAIT to play it with my friends, and I have spent my free time these past few days listening to a live play of it called “LA By Night” put on my Geek and Sundry.

Well, that is about it this time. I will see you all here next week on the thirtieth day of this month (and year, technically).

See you all next week!

Weekly Update 3

Well, this is awkward.

I guess I owe you an explanation…

I have been busier than usual with events happening in my private life, stuff with my friends and family. I simply forget to update you all until the next day rolls over, which is why this update is so late.

I have decided to change my blog schedule a bit because:

1)      I have shown I can’t stick with weekly updates

2)      My life is not interesting enough to warrant so many updates.

I will instead update you all every other week to keep a consistent schedule and to ensure the quality of these updates does not become bland (not like they were “gourmet” before).

So, what has happened in my life for the past two-plus weeks?

The new year has come and with it a new feeling of “Hope this one isn’t as bad,” a very dowry way to view a year.

Another person has finished my book! Now two of my six planned beta readers have finished it and have given me feedback (well, the latest one is still formulating her notes). It always feels great to have another person “in on the joke” as it were, and now I wait patiently for the rest to finish it. They have six days, so by the next update, I should have all the feedback I need to make the final draft of my first book!

One big update I can give you is how I have changed my stance on getting feedback. I realized I have been asking the wrong questions of my beta readers. Instead of asking what they liked, I should be asking what they didn’t. This has led to some of the most helpful feedback I have ever received! I am excited to jump back into the book to make significant changes that will improve the whole thing, so let’s hope the four readers I have left can finish soon!

I will now continue my tradition of reading Brandon Sanderson’s Mistborn trilogy or playing video games before work, see you all next week!

Weekly Update 2

…Well, that didn’t go very well.

Hello! It has been a while, hasn’t it? So, I guess I should explain myself. When last we talked (or more accurately, when last I typed at you) I said I was going to start a weekly update blog in which I would create an entry every Monday. Then, two Mondays went by.

Sorry about that.

I have plenty of excuses I could give you, but the truth is I just forgot two Mondays ago. And to be honest, that is pretty standard for me.

It is astonishing that I managed to consistently sit down every day and write an entire book given my track record when it comes to doing things on a schedule.

So, if you will indulge me, I will try and continue this weekly update journey with this update and a whole new one next Monday, the second day of the new year.

So, what I have been up to in my two-week hiatus?

A whole lot of nothing.

I have been waiting patiently for my beta readers to rip my baby into tiny shreds which has given me more time to read, watch movies, and generally worry about my potential future as an author.

The last beta reader I had planned now has the book! So, more waiting… yay.

I am excited to wait this time though because I recently picked up a copy of Neil Gaiman’s Stardust! I love the movie adaptation so much, and I have long appreciated Neil Gaiman. I am only a few chapters in, and the book is quickly becoming a favorite.

In addition to reading, I am also working on my second hidden project. So, if you will excuse me, I have to get to work! See you next week, and next year.

Weekly Update 1

Welcome to my first weekly update!

Unlike my past updates, these weekly updates will cover more of my life outside of writing my book (but my book will be a prominent topic in them).

This week was full of my usual downtime before work where I watched movies and played video games. The highlight of the whole thing came on Saturday when I decided to treat myself and purchase something I haven’t bought in a while: a LEGO set!
I bought and put together the Sanctum Sanctorum between Saturday and Sunday. It was so much fun to build with LEGOs again, something I hadn’t done in years before Saturday. I can’t wait to display the sanctum next to my statue of Dr. Strange whenever I can unearth him from storage.

Dr. Strange is my favorite Marvel superhero, by the way! He is my favorite because my first Marvel movie ever was the animated one from 2007.

In “my book” news (saying that will sound a lot better when I think of a title) one of my beta readers has finished reading it! Completely! I was very emotional when they told me they were done because this was the first time any living soul had read a book I had written.

He just sent me his notes, but I won’t make changes to the manuscript until I get all my beta readers’ input.

So, let it be known here first, that a man named Jakob was the first person to complete a book I wrote. I can’t wait for more people to read it too!

Thanks for reading, I’ll see you all next week!

Update 3

Hello! This update is the biggest one I have yet to publish on this site!

I have officially completed the fifth draft of my unnamed book and have presented it to four beta readers.

This is a very important time for me, and objectively the biggest thing to ever happen to me as a writer. For the first time in my life, I have given something I have worked hours on to other people.

The process has been very draining and now I’m left with multiple conflicting emotions. All I can do now is wait, as patiently as I can, for them to give me feedback.

I have six beta readers planned (the last two will be given their copies soon) and after I get all or most of their feedback, I will submit it to an agent.

In the meantime, I have taken to my old hobbies of movies and video games to distract myself, as well as my abhorrent day job.

So far in my break from writing, I have completed 2018’s God of War and learned a new board game! The experience, as you can see, has been rewarding.

This break also lets me attempt something new: I will focus on making this blog a weekly occurrence rather than the monthly pattern I have adopted unconsciously! Please expect a blog post every Monday for the foreseeable future.

So, I wish you all a wonderful day and I will see you all next week!

Update 2

Hey guys!

I have a normal update as well as a small announcement!

Since the last update, I have completed the third draft and have been working on the fourth. For the fourth draft, I focused on reading the story in its entirety to get a gauge for pacing and logical inconsistencies. The process has been very revealing so far, which has come with some interesting effects on me.

At first, I was disheartened by how much the story needed work. After three drafts I thought I had ironed out most of the problems with the story, but I discovered a cavalcade of old and new problems as I read.

This disheartened feeling persisted for weeks as I surveyed my work, and it wasn’t until taking a short break and coming back to it that I discovered a new feeling.

I am prouder than ever in my story because I have put a lot of work into making it the best it can be!

I am confident that the story as it stands now is the best it has ever been, and I can’t wait to make more changes to make it even better in the next draft.

Right now, I have two more chapters to review in the fourth draft, then in the fifth, I will do a “final passthrough” to make sure it is good enough to hand to beta readers.

I am equally parts nervous, excited, and terrified at the prospect of more people reading my work. So far only three people have read the first chapters, and that still feels oddly revealing to me.

Now, the announcement!

I have started a second writing project! This one is smaller in scale than my current work and designed to only be seen by a handful of people. I won’t say what it is in this update, but I will say it is a surprise for people very close to me!

Thank you so much for your support, please return to this website for updates on my unnamed project!

Update 1

Hey guys! Sorry I have been so inactive on this website for a while, I have been writing every day and have had almost no time to blog.

This will serve as the first update I will upload to the site, which is funny because I am so far a long in the process.

By that I mean I am now eighty percent done with the third draft of my first unnamed book! It currently sits at 60,000+ words. This number may fluctuate depending on how much I butcher my darling in the fourth draft.

I did something very brave and showed the first chapter to two preliminary readers and got some helpful feedback. They both said that it was great, but they are also very biased, so I am trying to keep a level head and not let my ego get too inflated. It did feel great to have my work in other people’s hands though!

I just sent them the second chapter, as well as chapters one and two to a third preliminary reader. My plan is to give the whole book to by beta readers after the fourth draft, but the future is still unclear.

I don’t know how many drafts I will go through before I feel like it is ready to be seen by agents or editors, but I feel like I am making progress every day.

And that feels pretty great.

Thanks for reading! I hope to update you again soon with more good news!

Have a safe and pleasant day!

Welcome to My Website!

Hello! I am Seth Oberlender and I am a novice writer. I created this website to help with getting my name out there and to create a space on the internet for myself. Currently, I have no plans to keep up a recurring blog (I can barely keep up with my current projects) but I am open to the idea! Thank you for visiting my website!