Feb 2025 - What Should I Write Next?

I'm actually quite ahead of my usual pace for the month -- both in terms of words written and story progress -- although that may not be totally apparent to you all yet!

The Thaumaturge Chapter 6 is out, along with an accompanying poll (which is actually closed already). I'm hoping to do more consistent choices like this that still help shape the story any time there isn't a big, who-does-Matt-go-fornicate-with-next choice opportunity. :)

Dungeon Mistress: Session 2, the Reader choice from last month, is also now out! Clocking in at 14k words, it's probably the longest single story -- or chapter of a story -- that I've ever written. I don't think I'm generally one to go overboard with unnecessary words, but this one might need some actual editing down. I'll let you all judge and will welcome feedback on this point.

I have also wrapped up the first draft of A Hospital Stay Part 5, which the story sponsor received last week. It'll be coming to a Patreon post near you soon!

One related plan going forward: I'm trying to do a better job of releasing on a more consistent one-story-a-week cadence so there aren't big gaps without seeing something new from me. We'll see if that is a sustainable pace as we go here.

At any rate, all together that's 3 stories totaling about 26k words for the month -- and there's still another ten days left! I'm not sure that volume is sustainable (Dungeon Mistress Session 2 is a real outlier in terms of just how long it was), but I've got a few more things planned for the rest of February:

• First, a second sponsored story (also a continuation of sorts, but that's all I can say right now!) which will also eventually be released for you all.

• After that, another chapter of the Thaumaturge. I imagine that will take me close enough to the end of the month (and may spill over into March).

So, with all that said, here's what's on the docket for March:

• ...More Thaumaturge!

...just like February, that's it, for now. I'm still getting the hang of writing sponsored stories alongside my regular plans, and so I'm keeping flexible to make sure I can deliver on the commitments I make!

But as usual, you, dear Readers, will help pick at least one additional thing I'll write in March.

I'm trying a different approach with the poll this month to see if it produces any interesting results/patterns -- in this poll, you're allowed to vote for as many options as you like, so feel free to vote in favor of everything you think would be interesting. (Don't vote for things you'd be disappointed if I focused on, obviously!)

I'm still planning to do my best to write the one that gets the most votes, but I thought this might allow for some more nuanced results, where if people really aren't interested in something, they can indicate that, instead of just voting only for their top choice. Let me know what you think of this approach in the comments.

I've dropped in a few options from series as well as some of the new one-off stories that have been rattling around in my brain.

Thanks again for supporting me.

JF

Usual disclaimer: this isn't my day job! It's all bandwidth-dependent. If I end up with a busy month I may get to less than I plan; if I end up with a lot of free time, I may get to everything on the list and then some. If something new strikes my fancy, I may write it even if it's not on the list. If I start something that I thought was workable and hit writer's block, it may not get done. But I will take your preferences seriously.