Hi there. This isn't an episode, it's more like a writer's blog. I'd like to take a moment to talk about my plans for this story -- where we're at and where we're going. No spoilers, more Big Picture stuff. And I'd like to ask for your input on a couple subjects.

So if you're here for the fiction and the fiction alone, feel free to skip this. But if you want a glimpse behind the curtain -- then do please read on:

We started publishing on March 1st, meaning we're now 2 months in. I'm loving writing Ava, although I'm never pleased with what I send out. This is essentially the first draft of what will someday be a fully-edited novel and it isn't easy for me to share in this state. I'm a bit of a perfectionist. That said, I've been told the two month milestone is when you should really sit down and objectively analyze how your story is doing on Royal Road -- and when it comes to Ava I have mixed feelings:

I get frankly incredible feedback from people who are reading, but I feel like maybe I'm doing something wrong as far as attracting an audience. I initially commissioned art for my cover(I'll share it below) but after a few weeks I decided it didn't match the tone of the story so my talented and patient wife created the cover we have now. I think it fits better, and it seems to be more popular as far as clicks are concerned. What do you think? Do you like the current cover, or should I revert to the illustration I started with? I'd love to hear in the comments.

Next on the list of things I could perhaps correct is the title. I know it's a bit wordy and again perhaps it evokes something a little more whimsical than Ava actually is as written. I'm considering changing the title to "Do Cut-Scenes Bleed?" What do you think of that? I'll set up a poll so you can vote but feel free to share your thoughts in the comments, too.

Ultimately, I worry that perhaps the story just isn't what Royal Road readers want. I was told not to write a female MC. I was told to follow the tropes rather than subvert them. I was told not to do my crazy, time-consuming stat boxes. But I like all that stuff! Still, I'd love to hear any feedback here from people who are more in touch with the site. Sometimes it just feels like people might be actively avoiding my story, so I'm simply searching for reasons why.

Okay that was all a little pathetic, sorry. I'm angsty and insecure sometimes. Writathon has broken me. Ava seemed like she was just going to cruise up the genre lists to land on Rising Stars and then April hit and dozens of stories appeared ahead of us. It's a little bit ironic, that I'm writing this particular story and I feel like I'm locked in a mortal struggle with a fickle algorithm. I should probably just do some deep breathing or something.

Next I'd like to give you some idea of what I'd like to see for this story:

I have a huge outline for Ava. I want this to be one of those sprawling, epic LitRPG sagas which unfurls over hundreds of episodes. I'd estimate this first volume will be close to two-thousand pages, with four more planned. I'd like to be writing this story for the next several years.

But it's tough. I wake up seven days a week at no later than 3:30am to work for a few hours until my toddler gets up. This is the only time I can reliably steal. Sometimes I get to sit at the keyboard during his nap, but I'm never as productive after a four or five hour break. Hopefully as he grows it will get easier, but right now it's A LOT.

So here's the tough part: I have to ask for help.

I'm writing Ava because I love the story, and no matter what it will be finished, but I may not be able to write it as the series I envision. I might have to wrap it at just this one book. Unless I can start making a little bit of money I'll likely need to transition my midday writing sessions into hours delivering for GrubHub. Which might mean stepping back my publishing schedule to just three episodes a week, or perhaps even two. It's not what I want. I want to publish every single day, to be honest.

If you've read this far, please take a look at my Patreon. Let me know what you think of the perks and let me know what I can do better. I don't want anyone to feel obligated to pay for Ava, I'm philosophically opposed to my fiction being anything other than free to read, but I would so appreciate your help and advice as to how I can improve. That said, if one were to subscribe at the $10 level today they could skip to the end of the story's first major arc. Okay, that's my hard sell!

In conclusion: I love you all. Thank you so much for finding and reading my weird story -- it means the absolute world to me. I've never had more fun writing than I am here on RR, and I intend to be here a very long time, whether I'm writing Ava or something else.

Many, many thanks,

Kile

PS: as mentioned above, here's another cover option. The typography could be altered, do please let me know which you think is better: