Now Zero – November, 2022

So why try to predict the future at all if it’s so difficult, so nearly impossible? Because making predictions is one way to give warning when we see ourselves drifting in dangerous directions. Because prediction is a useful way of pointing out safer, wiser courses. Because, most of all, our tomorrow is the child of our today. Through thought and deed, we exert a great deal of influence over this child, even though we can’t control it absolutely. Best to think about it, though. Best to try to shape it into something good. Best to do that for any child.

– Octavia Butler

Above comes via Mandy Brown’s A Working Letter.

The Writing

SYTI is on the desk of my editor at tordotcom, so now let’s hope he likes it enough to want to publish it. I’m really proud of the book and have big ideas for where the story is going to go, so it’d be amazing to work with tordotcom again to bring the series to life.

Other than that, not a great deal to report. Early in October I had an idea for how to improve the main subplot in OS, and I gave the manuscript a full edit. It’s better, it’s tighter, but I still don’t know if it’s there yet. For now I’m setting it aside (again), and focusing on what’s next.

I’d previously mentioned a new idea that I was excited to work on, but just this past week I’ve figured out a way I could merge that new idea with the ideas I’ve been collecting and composting for a follow-up to Repo Virtual. It wouldn’t be a real sequel, more like how Gibson’s “trilogies” are always connected but standalone stories. I’ve been making notes for an eventual follow-up for years, so at some point soon I’m going to collate all those and see how it all starts to come together.

I’m not in a huge rush though, because first I want to loosely outline the full series that SYTI kicks off. It’d be great if it was another novella trilogy, but I’ve got a lot of story to tell, so we’ll see what happens. Could be 4 novellas, could be 5. Or maybe the sequels will be novels? Too early to say, but I’ve been making notes on where the series could go since before I even started writing SYTI. So, I need to set some time aside to also see how this series could come together – bash out a very loose outline for the full series, and a solid outline for book 2. I’m hoping I can keep working on this series while my subconscious keeps thinking through the RV follow-up.

So nothing of substance to report, but I actually feel like I have a plan in place. Wish me luck.

Oh, and still no contract for the short story I mentioned last time, but hopefully I can announce that next month.

Nothing Here Newsletter

I don’t know if I’ve mentioned it before, but each newsletter ends with a great selection of memes – dessert for getting through the poorly-cooked vegetables that is life in these times.

And all the rest

The weather has been crazy here. Remember when talking about the weather was a sign of bad conversation and/or a deeply boring person? Well, that was before we could expect wild weather at irregular intervals. In Melbourne it has been raining constantly for weeks now – it’s like we’re in Blade Runner but without all the neon and the promise of an off-world colony.

The shitty weather extended winter right up until early October, and after a week of decent weather we’re back to more rain. I like the rain, but I would like it more if it wasn’t a sign of a weather system in upheaval thanks to climate change…

Look after yourself. Look after your loved ones. Find some joy.

Published by

Corey J. White

Corey J. White is the author of Repo Virtual and The VoidWitch Saga – Killing Gravity, Void Black Shadow, and Static Ruin – published by Tor.com Publishing. They studied writing at Griffith University on the Gold Coast, and are now based in Melbourne, Australia.

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