State of the Rytex - 2019

Hey guys. Happy new year, happy holidays, etc. etc., you know the drill.

So, just kinda wanted to outline my goals for the year. Stuff I want to get done, progress I want to make on my fics, the usual. Not to mention, places you might get to find me offline.

First and foremost, Apprentice. I'm a good way into Chapter 12, so I expect to have it finished in a few months. It's going to be a long one, since it's essentially a curtain call for the first part of the fic. Everyone important makes an appearance (except Waluigi) and almost all of them are plot/character-significant, and after that, it's back to the past for five chapters, and then Apprentice's rewrite will finally be done, except for possibly one last chapter that will be inserted into the final half. That might take me a couple more years, but I hope to get a good start on it while I can.

Second, Worlds. I'm a little annoyed by how little this one's progressed. I had everything plotted out months ago, and even made it through a couple of the chapters in a relatively quick period, but productivity on it has fallen off again, and there aren't even that many chapters to go. It really has felt more like a slog. And it's being set up so that if I get to the end and decide it's just not worth it, I can call Nova's story over there and not continue, but still have a way forward if I do decide. It may not answer all of the questions I've set up in a satisfying way, but at least it will have an ending should I call it quits.

Third, Starbound. Again, I'm annoyed by how little it's progressing. The next two chapters are going to be action-heavy, and I would **like** to release them together, which means it might take some time to get out, but I'm not even into the meat of the first chapter yet, which is really ticking me off. I want to get this one off my plate. It's been there for five years now, and we're close to the end, but it still feels far off to me despite it being in sight. I'll see what I can do.

Fourth, and finally, there's the story I wanted to have done by the end of the year. It's not, long story short. It's actually about halfway done (it was started in March, but dropped soon after, and only picked up again in September), but I haven't sent any chapters off to prereaders yet, and I'm a little unsatisfied by how short some chapters are and will be lengthening them. If I had to give a rough guesstimate, I'd say I'm about 40% done with it, but I'd like to think it will be out this year.

Now, offline stuff.

Apprentice's audio drama is getting ready to release Episode 5, so those of you who watch it, be on the lookout for that. No hard release info yet, though.

On the Con scene, I will be going to HarmonyCon in February as well, where I will be hosting two panels for our pleasure, should you show. First, the ever-classic Whooves Line Is It Anyway?, and second (and one I'm particularly excited about), Badfic reading. Been wanting to do this one for a while, but the G-ratedness of Nightmare Nights never allowed for it. Hope to see you here in Dallas TX! I will also (hopefully) be attending BronyCon in August for its final year. I had a blast last year, so hopefully I can see about maybe hosting my old "Terrible Writing Advice" panel from NMND '17 again for a wider audience.

Other than that, I don't think there's much else to talk about. Season 9 is coming up, and supposedly it's the end of the TV ride for G4 (or more accurately, it's the end of fan theories being jossed by the show), but there's always the possibility they might extend. I don't think they will, for various reasons, but that's neither here nor there. What matters is, I hope to be still writing for MLP even after the show ends, and maybe into G5 (we'll see how it goes).

Anyway, here's hoping I can make 2019 a better year for both you guys and myself than 2018 was.

Rytex out. Have a good day!