I’m coming to the realization that I’m not going to hit my year-end goals. Already. One month into the quarter, and I’ve already failed. But while it's fun to wallow, it only means the longer I stay here, the harder it is to get back into the rhythm.

How do you take the perfection of an idea—a pure, sparkly thing—and bring it into a reality constrained by linguistics and math? I’m struggling with the "angel in the stone," trying to write in vivid reds and electric blues while my first drafts feel like washed-out greys. From the philosophy of creation to the "smooth-brained" joy of inventing space-city snacks, here is where I am with my current book, Project Hollow.

Writing a fantasy romance novel comes with plenty of creative doubts. In this update on Project Hollow, I reflect on returning to my draft, developing character flashbacks, and finding the right tone for the story.