The Writer’s Diary: Ruthless Edits, Expansion Strategy, and Entering The Shortys

Writing, Deleting & Writing Again

It has been a fortnight of structural surgery, narrative expansion and contest entering in the pond. 

Sometimes being a writer means knowing when to wield the delete key without mercy, when to leave the big projects alone in favour of something else and also pulling long-dormant lore out of your head and finally giving it room to breathe on the page.

And it was my birthday too ... yes, I completed another successful spin around our sun. Here's to many more!

The Big Three: Edits and Refinements

Progress across my primary focus projects has been steady, if occasionally dramatic:

• Sanctorum’s Veil: I made the executive decision to completely delete the original Chapter 13. It was only OK, and it simply wasn't working; the pacing felt off, and it didn't serve where the story needed to go. In its place, I’ve drafted a brand-new Chapter 13 and I have added roughly 995 fresh words instead that fit the narrative far better.
  
  Total Word Count: 17,999
  
  
• The Void Between: Progress has been a little slower here as I work through the intricate sci-fi mechanics, but I’ve added another 500 words to keep the momentum going.
  
  Total Word Count: 3,900
  
  
• The Whisper in the Margins: I have completed Chapter 4, I think. This story is shaping up nicely and now there are two incidents deeping the mystery in quick succession. 
  
  Total Word Count: 5,221

Forever Jupiter: A Different Modular Approach

While Sanctorum’s Veil, The Void Between, and The Whisper in the Margins form my main trio of WIPs, I am treating the novel-length expansion of Forever Jupiter as a completely separate beast.

Instead of a traditional linear rewrite, I am approaching the expansion work like a series of interconnected short stories. These will eventually be woven into the existing novella framework, with appropriate edits to blend it all together.

I kicked off this process by writing a brand-new Chapter 1! All the additional lore I'm putting down now was actually all in my head when I wrote the original version back in 2022, but I stripped it back so I was able to hit specific contest word counts. Now, James Hamlin's world is finally getting the full scope it deserves.

These additions also open up the world to give me aa potential for writing aaEsequel, or sequels. Only time will tell.

Entering The Shortys with Borrowed Time

On the contest front, I’ve officially submitted my recent short story, Borrowed Time, into The Shortys on Wattpad!

For those who haven't caught the story yet (it is free to read on Wattpad), it’s a tight, time-slip mystery following an author writing in a quiet café. Suddenly, time freezes completely around him, and he finds himself faced with an impossible choice: lend an hour of his own life to a mysterious stranger. It was a blast to write, and I’m looking forward to seeing how it performs with the judges and readers.

The Failing Writer's Podcast Flash Fiction Contest

Another contest I entered was the annual flash fiction contest from the (IMHO) best writer's podcast out there. I have entered two stories here --  one about a woman forced to use "the umbrella defence" and the other about prophetic baked goods.

The challenge here is to write a flash fiction piece no more than 300 words long, and to include a specific phrase -- to learn the rules and the phrase, you will need to listen to the episode. I'm not giving any clues here.

The Writer’s Diary: Creeping Fog, Sci-Fi Drafts, and Expanding Jupiter

Taking it easy?

It has been a slightly quieter fortnight on the main manuscript front, but that certainly doesn't mean the desk has been idle. While the major novels and novellas took a brief backseat, my creative energy shifted into horror anthology submissions, audio production, and foundational sci-fi world-building.

Shifted Priorities on the Main Lineup

Progress on my big WIPs was deliberately light these past two weeks:

• The Whisper in the Margins: I added roughly 400 words to Rollo Whitglade's investigative mystery. I'm keeping the gears turning nicely.
• Sanctorum’s Veil & The Void Between: Both took a short pause while I focused on short fiction and audio edits, but they remain queued up for the next drafting push.

Fresh Creeping Dread: The Fog that Knocks

My biggest triumph over the last fourteen days was writing a brand-new short story titled The Fog that Knocks. Sitting at just over 2,100 words, it’s a tale built entirely on atmosphere and slow-burn, creeping dread.

Previously, I was creating a new story called The White Rider, but I got a little lost in the weeds on it, so I've paused it for now. 

Interestingly, a beta reader for The Fog that Knocks recently introduced me to a term I hadn't come across before—'creepypasta'—which refers to those modern, internet-born urban legends and eerie horror stories shared online. They described The Fog that Knocks as a Doctor Who variety of the genre, which I think is a brilliant way to frame it!

​I’ve already designed a custom cover for the story to set the mood, and you can see that as my image for this ppost. Again, I have not used GenAI, and I am very pleased with the outcome here.

I’m also excited to share that I have officially submitted The Fog that Knocks to an open call for The Phantom Pulse, a fantastic horror anthology magazine. Crossing my fingers for good news from the editorial team!

The cover image I created as a "just for me and my friends" thing, because at no point is there a hint that the submissions form asked for any art work.

Audio Master Classes & New Sci-Fi Seeds

Work on Memory Letters hasn't stopped, either. I’ve been wading through the master audio files for the upcoming audiobook, splitting the tracks into clean chapter files and making detailed notes on any tiny audio tweaks needed before the final launch.

Between audio checks, I’ve also drafted the foundations for two brand-new sci-fi short stories:

• Letter to My Past Self (~700 words)
• Am I Still Human? (~800 words)

Both are early-stage concepts, but they are already offering some really interesting premises to explore for my upcoming Kindle Short Reads initiative.

Building the Foundations of Forever Jupiter

Finally, I’ve been spending quality time mapping out the world-building for the novel-length expansion of Forever Jupiter.

I hit a moment recently where I realised there were key aspects of the world’s history and mechanics that I had completely forgotten to detail. I've spent the week fleshing out these underlying world-building notes. Whether these specific background details make it directly into the final narrative or stay hidden behind the scenes, having them mapped out is going to make the actual drafting process infinitely easier and far more cohesive.

The Writer’s Diary: ONC Final Results, Fresh Covers, and Theme Park Horror

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Lots to Celebrate

The dust has officially settled on the Open Novella Contest for 2026. It has been a long, thrill-packed ride over the last few months, and while the waiting game was a test of endurance, the outcome is something I am definitely celebrating in the pond today.

​Memory Letters Earns an Honourable Mention!

​The ONC judges have finally announced the grand winner and the four runners-up. I want to share my heartfelt congratulations to each of the authors on that list. I've read many of the stories, and they absolutely deserve their places. 

While Memory Letters wasn't in that top five, the story ended its contest run on a massive high note. And I'm so pleased. 

​Along with the main winners, the judges also released an official Honourable Mentions list—a curated selection of just 40 stories chosen from the entire competition. I am absolutely delighted to share that Memory Letters earned a spot on that list! Starting from the thousands that entered, surviving every culling to reach the Shortlist, and finishing among those top 40 recognised pieces is a brilliant validation of Jane's story. 

Now that the contest has wrapped, I can finally focus on setting up the wider release and also on getting the upcoming audiobook edition into your ears!

​Fresh Ink: Sci-Fi Cafés and Dark Theme Parks

​Alongside my usual manuscript updates, I've had a productive burst with three brand-new short fiction pieces. Two I've completed, and one I'm about a third of the way into:

• ​Borrowed Time: A tight sci-fi piece centered around a mysterious man who approaches a writer in a quiet café asking for an hour of time. I've also put together the official cover design for this one, featuring a striking triple-hourglass concept that sets the mood perfectly. (Word Count: 1,272)
• ​The Last Ride: A horror short that hits very close to home for a theme park fan! It follows three friends exploring a theme park near closing time as the atmosphere shifts from fun to something far more sinister. It is a fully written flash fiction piece, and I've also created a cover for this one too. (Word Count: 660)
• The White Rider: This is shaping into an unsettling tale about a man returning to his childhood home to face his destiny. (Word Count: 591 ... and counting)

​These may well form part of the new Kindle Short Reads rollout I mentioned recently, giving you quick, self-contained tales to dive into between my longer releases. Or they could end up somewhere else. 

​Pushing Forward Across the Board

​My primary active projects are continuing to gain momentum:

• ​Sanctorum’s Veil: Adding fresh scenes, even just a few words at a time, and expanding the narrative depth now that the early chapter restructuring is settled. (Word Count: 17,312)
• ​The Whisper in the Margins: Continuing Rollo Whitglade's investigative adventures as he navigates the magical archives. (Word Count: 4,258)
• ​The Void Between: Adding new lore and content while refining the broader Voidborne universe. (Word Count: 3,458)

​Ventures in Dread: The White Rider

​Finally, I am continuing to lean into darker themes at the moment. This is for a dedicated submission. There's an open call for short story submissions to a horror anthology. My story, The White Rider, when it is finished should be perfect. Fingers crossed. 

It's proving to be a fun challenge, leaning into pure tension and atmosphere for this piece, and I'll keep you posted on how the submission fares once it's sent off into the world.

The Writer’s Diary: Shortlisted, YouTube Refresh, and Standing Firm on AI

Good News and New Words

​It's good to be back at the keyboard after an amazing family break at the House of the Mouse. Hugs from Mickey were great, even with the heat of the Florida, but coming back to the desk with some really big news has made returning to the pond so much sweeter.

​Memory Letters Makes the Shortlist!

​Yes, I can officially share the fantastic news. Memory Letters has been named on the recently announced ONC 2026 Shortlist!

​To say I am over the moon is a such a huge understatement. From the thousands of initial entries, being narrowed down to 672 in Round 3, then 300 on the Longlist, the judges have cut the field down to just 96 stories. Knowing that Jane’s story has made it all the way into that final 96 is an amazing milestone. I know that it has taken a long time to get here, and for the ultimate winners to be announced this year, but I am doing my absolute best to practice patience.

​The delay in the contest’s final stages is having a knock-on effect for the wider release of the story, including the upcoming audiobook edition. I've been assured that the audio production is now almost complete, and what I've heard so far is fantastic, but the full multi-platform rollout has to wait until the contest officially wraps up.

​Across the Multiverse: Ongoing Fiction Updates

​While Memory Letters sits in the shortlist spotlight, the rest of my fictional universe hasn't been standing still:

• ​Sanctorum’s Veil: The comprehensive rewrite and expansion of the opening chapters is coming along brilliantly. Having worked out the little plot hole in Chapter 7, the manuscript is sitting at a really solid foundation. And I'm able to push further into the narrative.

The big news here is that I've officially started Chapter 13.

Word Count Check:  17,145

• ​The Whisper in the Margins: My D&D-inspired wizard-archivist mystery with Rollo Whitglade is gathering pace. Chapter 3 is fully underway. Blending urban fantasy with magical record-keeping is proving to be a blast to write, but I'm really enjoying the story as it develops. 

Word Count Check: 4,007

• ​The Voidborne Saga: The foundational world-building for this HFY sci-fi series is taking root in my brain. I’ve been fleshing out characters and creating alien languages (like the untranslatable title 'Stoth') while I continue hunting for human-crafted, non-AI artwork for the cover of The Void Between.

• ​Forever Jupiter: The blueprint for expanding this 2022 novella into a full-length novel, and hopefully setting up a multi-book series following James Hamlin’s immortal Roman, is now mapped out and ready for the next writing sprint.

​What's Coming to the YouTube Channel

​Speaking of audio and covers, I’m planning a bit of a refresh for my YouTube channel.

​I'm hoping to begin posting more of my stories in audio format, including some of my flash fiction tales. Also, I’m going to start creating practical 'how-to' videos for fellow writers and indie creators. My main focus to start with will be practical, zero-budget author skills. My first one is going to be something on how to design book covers without using GenAI. Learning how to manipulate typography and clean, human-made imagery on a shoestring budget is a crucial skill for indies, and I’m looking forward to sharing all the tips I've learned. 

​Short Reads and Polish: A New Kindle Focus

​Looking ahead on the publishing front, I am planning a new initiative for my digital shelf. This will be a dedicated set of Kindle Short Reads.

​I’ll be kicking this off by dusting off some of my older short stories, giving them a thorough polish, before releasing them on a reasonably regular basis. Depending on how those go, I'm also considering a curated collection, bundling these shorter reads into one book.

​A Line in the Sand: AI in the Publishing Pipeline

​There’s been a lot of chatter in the writing community lately about traditional publishers adopting "AI detection checks" to screen submissions. The irony, of course, means they are feeding manuscripts into an AI tools to do the scanning. Thus compounding the AI issue. 

​As someone who prides themselves on human-crafted storytelling and transparent, non-AI cover design, this is a concern. These AI detectors are notoriously unreliable and frequently flag legitimate human prose (notably Mary Shelly's Frankenstein). 

Currently I'm fully committed to remaining self-published, but I’ll say this plain and clear: 

If I ever decide to change my approach in the future, I will not query any publisher or agency that claims to use AI to detect AI. 

The human element of storytelling needs to be respected at every stage of the process.

​Recent Rhymes

​Finally, my brain dipped into verse, rather than prose, over the last few weeks. My recent trip (and a contest I saw hosted by The Failing Writers Podcast) inspired me to write some really bad poems. They're all really poor attempts at humour, and I'm not lighting up the poetry world here, but I’ve included a couple below for your reading pleasure: 

A Spin on the Rides

This was inspired by our first day at Epcot.

Can you identify the rides we were on? 

The Invisible Man

We also went to Epic Universe for a day, and I met The Invisible Man!

The Writer’s Diary: Waiting Games, Lost in Translation, and Silly Rhymes

Waiting is a Skill

Another week, another anxious period of standing by the inbox. Waiting. 

It's a good job I am a patient person.

While the Open Novella Contest judges continue their deliberations over the upcoming shortlist, I’ve been busy making sure the ink in the pond doesn't have a chance to dry.

​Still Waiting on the ONC

​There is no fresh news yet on the shortlist front. And I get why. It is a massive reading task for the judges, so the silence is entirely understandable, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t keeping one eye on my notifications at all times. In the meantime, the distraction of new projects is keeping me sane.

​Progress on the Pages

​The Whisper in the Margins: My D&D-inspired wizard-archivist mystery is moving at a great pace. I’ve pushed through to Chapter 3, and Rollo Whitglade's adventure is proving to be a lot of fun to write.

​Sanctorum’s Veil: The extensive rewrite of the early chapters is almost entirely behind me. I’m currently 95% done with the edits on the first batch of chapters, and I am just about ready to dive into the next part of Sam's story by drafting the next chapter.

​World-Building: Creating the Backstories

The Voidborne Series: ​I’ve been spending a lot of time mapping out the foundational lore for the series, especially the first book, The Void Between. I am specifically focusing on character layouts and alien biology. I want the extra-terrestrial elements to feel genuinely alien, which includes their language.

​I’m working on concepts that our human-engineered Universal Translators simply won’t be able to process easily. For instance, the Renth Hegemony use titles like "Stolt" to refer to a ship's commander or captain. It is a title wrapped in cultural nuance that a computerised translation AI just can't quite bridge.

Forever Jupiter: I am adding a whole new set of secret soceities and sects that make the world of the immortal Roman senator feel real. The novella is already written, but to flesh ioot out into a novel length, more details are needed.

​Going Visual (And Budget-Friendly) on YouTube

​I've also been planning a bit of a refresh for my YouTube channel. Alongside sharing more of my stories in audio format, I want to start producing practical 'how-to' videos for the indie community.

​My first planned guide is one I think a lot of indie writers will likely find useful: how to design your own book covers. This will focus on how to create stunning covers without using GenAI, without a design degree, and without any actual drawing skills. This is in no way aimed at removing professionals from the look. However, when you're operating on a shoestring budget as an indie, learning how to manipulate typography and clean, human-made imagery is an essential survival skill.

​A Silly Little Poem

​The lovely weather we've been having in the UK this last few weeks has not been condusive to writing. So, when the prose brain temporarily locked up this week, I decided to let off some steam by writing a light-hearted piece of verse. I’ve called it, fittingly:

'A Silly Little Poem'

​Sitting here with keyboard and not a pen,
I've been trying to write poems again.
Unfortunately my brain is almost blank,
I don't have anything in the tank.

​I don't want to make another silly rhyme,
But it's hard when you don't have the time,
As the clock goes tickedy-tock,
My thinking part, that grey stuff, has a block.

​So, roses are red, and violets are blue,
This poem is REALLY bad, I know it's true.
I tried to write something good and clever,
Instead, it's just the worst thing ever.

​Stepping Away for a Summer Recharge

​With so many creative irons in the fire, I am taking a short, well-earned break with the family to relax, recharge, and step away from the screens for a bit. Because of this, the pond will be briefly quiet. I expect to return to both the blog and my YouTube channel in mid-August, hopefully refreshed and ready to jump right back in at the deep end.

​Thank you for reading, and I'll see you all on the other side of the summer sun!

Geoff

The Writer’s Diary: Longlisted, Lost ID Cards, and D&D Inspiration

Celebrate good times. Come on! 

​(Thanks Kool 😊) What a difference a day makes! After weeks of radio silence from the judging panels, the floodgates finally opened yesterday, and the pond has been hit by a tidal wave of fantastic news.

​Memory Letters Makes the Longlist!

​The Open Novella Contest has finally dropped the big ones: the Round 3 Winners, the Ambassador Picks, and the official Longlist.

​I am absolutely thrilled—and still slightly stunned—to tell you that Memory Letters has been named both a Round 3 Winner and has officially secured its place on the Longlist! Out of the 672 stories that entered qualifed from Round 3 for consideration, the judges have narrowed the field down to just 300 stories.

When the notifications started popping up, I honestly didn't know how to react. To see Jane's story survive every single cut and stand tall among those final 300 contenders is a massive milestone. 

The waiting was agonizing, but the result is more than worth the wait!

Next step? Maybe the shortlist... who knows. 

​Grounding the Logic in Sanctorum's Veil

​While celebrating a win is always good, the daily grind of editing waits for no man. My custom dashboard script has been keeping me honest as I push forward with Sanctorum’s Veil, and this week required some serious narrative surgery on Chapter 7.

​During the review, I hit a scene that frankly made no sense. Originally, my main character, Sam, needed an ID card, which was mysteriously sent to him anonymously. It was an odd plot point that I just knew I'd end up having to explain badly later on in the book. So, I’ve cut the anonymous delivery entirely. Now, Sam finds the ID card organically while going through his mum's things. It’s cleaner, far more believable, and doesn't rely on a clunky mystery to move the plot forward.

​New Project: The Whisper in the Margins

​As if my digital shelf wasn't busy enough, a new story has crept out of the archives. Being the 'forever DM' for my Dungeons & Dragons groups, my D&D Beyond account is practically a graveyard of characters I'll likely never get to play. While perusing them the other day, an archivist and mage named Rollo Whitglade practically jumped off the screen at me.

​His concept was just too good to leave on a character sheet, so I’ve started writing an urban fantasy/wizarding mystery centered around him called The Whisper in the Margins. Chapter 1 is completely done, and Chapter 2 is already halfway there.

​The Void Between: The Search for Authentic Art

​On the flip side, progress on my HFY sci-fi story, The Void Between, has hit a temporary pause due to a personal quirk of my writing process. I’m a bit particular when it comes to focus; I find I can’t truly connect with the soul of a story until I have a solid title and a proper cover design to look at while I type.

​The title is locked in and feels great, but the search is now on for the perfect inspiring imagery. I love creating my own covers and now I am specifically looking for royalty-free or paid art that is strictly NOT GenAI created. I want real, human-crafted illustrations or photos to form the backbone of the Sol Explorer's visual identity, so the keyboard is on hold for this one until I find the right piece of the puzzle. 

The Writer’s Diary: The Silence of the Judges, Reworking the Veil, and a Piece of My Past

Patience is ...

​If you are reading this and hoping for a massive, triumphant update regarding the Open Novella Contest, I have to ask you to hold your breath for just a little longer. It has been a testing fortnight in the pond, mostly spent staring at an unchanged notifications screen.

​The ONC Silence

​There has been absolutely no update from the ONC judges for a full month now, and I’ll admit, it’s starting to become a bit of a concern. Rationally, I know what’s happening behind the scenes. They have hundreds of qualifying manuscripts to read, re-read, score, and debate. I realise that the process takes an immense amount of time and care. However, knowing that logically doesn’t do a single thing to quiet the writer’s nerves.

​So, while Memory Letters sits in judging limbo, I have been doing everything I can to keep my mind occupied and my fingers moving.

​Keeping Distracted: Reading and Reworking the Veil

​My main weapon against the waiting-room jitters has been the keyboard. I’ve been throwing myself into some heavy editing sessions for Sanctorum’s Veil, tightening the plot hooks and expanding the world-building to ensure it's in the best shape possible for when I fully resume the project.

​When I haven't been editing, I've been doing a lot of reading, escaping into other authors' worlds to give my own brain a bit of a rest from the constant data-tracking and plotting.

​From the Vault: "My Brother, My Nephew"

​Aside from the novels, I have also been working on a small digital preservation project. I’ve gone into my personal archives and created a publicly downloadable version of a seminal, autobiographical piece of writing for me called My Brother, My Nephew.

​This is a short story I wrote all the way back in 2000 for an assignment in a creative writing class I was taking. The brief we were given was simple: write about a 'childhood memory'. Ideally it was meant to be a 'happy' memory. However, due to a severe accident, which is what my story refers to, I actually don't have many childhood memories at all. Good or bad.

​It’s a deeply personal piece that marks a very specific moment in my life. It was very nearly three end of my life. In my journey as a writer, I’ve shared many things and a copy of this is available on Wattpad too, but I know not everyone is on Wattpad, or wants to be (for their own reasons). Therefore, I've decided it’s time to share it a little wider. 

If you’d like to read it, you can grab a copy directly from my Google Drive right here: Download "My Brother, My Nephew".

Fair warning: This refers to a traumatic event in my life, agreements even I am still emotionally affected whenever I read it.