Although it's not comprised of pretty pictures, there is some heartening progress on both fronts. And sketches - keep reading, and you'll be rewarded with doodles. I bet that's just what you were thinking when you woke up this morning, "I hope my day is FILLED with doodles!" Well, you're in luck. Read on.
Doodles.
Anyways, the Chapter 8 and 9 scripts for Volume 3 have been roughed out, redrafted, polished, and finalized within the last couple of months, and now the entire book is completely written! Although the progress isn't something I can visually show, it's a huge step forward from back when Chapter 7 was the only completed writing within the story outline. Here, for your browsing pleasure, are six dialogue lines from scattered scenes and various characters in the upcoming book. They are chosen at random, not related in any way, and they‘re spoiler-free:
“It’s me. The loveable one.”
“I hope you've explosively crapped your pants, Grunn, because the only other explanation for that face is unacceptable.”
“WOTS DIS DO??”
“I wanted to see what would happen.”
“You’re not with the church, are you.”
“Pa-Vwaoo!”
Having the entire draft in my hands is indescribably exciting, because this story is coming out really, really cool. (A lot better than the 5 random lines seem to indicate, trust me.) I remember back during Volume 2 production, I had been a little concerned that Volume 3 was at risk for having a weaker story than Volumes 2 or 4, but that concern is history now. I can hardly wait to continue drawing this book up!
In fact, the thumbnail page layouts of Chapter 9 were completely sketched out as of last night. My suspicions about Volume 3's increased page count have proven correct - this is gonna be a big one. While that means it will take quite some time to produce, and the printing and retail price will have to be higher than our other books, when I think about the story we've written I know it will be worth it.
The only barricade to nonstop free - flowing Volume 3 production remains the Volume 1 corrections... What can I say, getting out of purgatory is never easy. Thankfully, we're much closer to completion than we were a month ago. The fix-it list for the entire book has, as of tonight, finally been compiled. Cataloging the errors is a 'where's Waldo' of concentration games at least as time consuming as executing the fixes. As such, the Volume 1 tweaks are (at least) at the halfway mark of completion, and February / March is slated for grinding through those corrections until the whole pile has been processed, and digital sales at last transition from my hackneyed conversation topic and into a reality.
Once the corrections are finished and digital sales pending, we’re planning on doing a little contest with a before and after page, along the lines of “Can you find the 12 differences between image A and image B?” So, you have that to look forward to.
As promised, here are some doodles, done on the side during script revision sessions between Liz and I. Some of these are rough concept for Volume 3 or other books, but mainly they're just some random thoughts put to paper.
Hopefully after another month or two of escaping purgatory, I'll be back to showing off V3 penciling progress in here- thanks to everyone for being so patient with me while we get our act together!
2 comments:
I love your doodles! I can't wait to read volume 3! Good luck on volume 4!
In that second doodle page... that wouldn't happen to be Evzen, would it? Even if not (probably not since there -are- some differences like ears and tail) any chance we might see that 'cute little whatever-he-is' in the novels?
Post a Comment