4 Powerful Steps for Outlining a Novel (Without Killing Your Creativity)
Outlining book three is officially done. Here is a look behind the curtain at my 4-step workflow for outlining a novel as an organic writer working on an epic sci-fi series.
Richard Davill is an expert in emergency response who has spent a decade managing operations in conflict zones and disaster areas globally. He now applies that gritty realism to his sci-fi, writing about survival in deep space from his home in Yorkshire.
Whispers from the Machine – Progress report [Book one]:
Whispers from the Machine is the debut book in the Stapledon Series. When xenoarchaeologist Clio Cormack accidentally awakens a dormant alien megastructure, she unearths a threat that could consume humanity. Now, she must break every law and ally with a rogue AI to stop an ancient god from rising again
Drafting
100%
Editing
100%
Typesetting
100%
Mutterings of the Deceased – Progress report [Book Two]:
in-Progress – Expected Early 2027
Following a catastrophic mission, xenoarchaeologist Clio Cormack is branded a traitor and isolated from the rest of humanity. But silence is a luxury she cannot afford. A new, ancient threat has stirred, and a rogue intelligence is racing to reclaim a power that could extinguish life as we know it.
With her reputation in tatters and time running out, Clio must decode a cryptic final warning, a secret hidden by the station’s original architects. If she fails, the truth of a forgotten war will be lost, and a machine god will rise to claim its throne.
Drafting
100%
Editing
25%
Typesetting
0%
Richard’s Blog
Crafting a Thrilling Sci-Fi Book Cover Design: The Journey to Book 2
While Book Two is with the development editor, I turned my attention to its sci-fi book cover design. Here is how we translated core series themes into a striking new visual identity using reader testing and collaborative design.
Mutterings of the Deceased: An Exciting Milestone and Launch Roadmap
A major milestone reached: book two of the Stapledon series, Mutterings of the Deceased, is fully drafted. Here is a look at the revised timeline, word count comparisons, and next steps for publication.