Hey, blueraspberrybubblegum! I just wanna say that I'm a huge fan of yours. If the johnroxy ship was a battle-hardened army, you would be our dashing, rugged, and competent general. Anyways, i'm just reading through LILIH for like the billionth time and it feels like it's been a while since we've gotten an update on your progress. You're probably super busy with life and all that, but that story is simply too good for me not to follow up on. keep up the good work! hope you're doing well :)
Hi, friend! It’s good to hear from you!
LILIH is still on my mind on a daily, and often hourly, basis. I play out scenes in my head constantly, fine-tuning things I’ve already written and outlining what I have yet to tackle. As you probably know, I have thousands and thousands of words for you. Examples include: chapters 14-16 &18 (finished); chapters 17, 19, 22 & 23 (incomplete); and spin-offs including dave’s story (completed, but not the final title), is it bright where you are (completed; it’s the epilogue), and something called pony story (wow I don’t even remember starting that one :\ ). LILIH is outlined into 24 chapters, though chapter 24 is really just a snapshot. There are also 2 more spin-offs which I don’t intend to try to tackle until LILIH is actually finished (one is from Terezi’s perspective, and one is from Kanaya’s. Neither are essential to the story and they’re both going to require a pretty focused mindset, so it’s better to save them for last. If I’m burned out at that point, you won’t miss them too much.) I also have a few fun things to share, like some of my notes and references, which will come through tumblr after the fact.
BUT RASPBERRY WHY DON’T YOU JUST UPLOAD WHAT YOU ALREADY HAVE NOOOWWW
Because I’m selfish. LILIH is me in my truest form* and I can’t bear to bare myself until I’m presentable. And that means there will be no updates until I finish chapter 17. Which, if it helps, is 1500 words longer than it was 6 months ago, and only a few scenes away from being finished. (That probably doesn’t help. Sorry.)
I would love to finish LILIH before Hussie finishes Homestuck. Will I? Probably not. But I’d like to at least be able to give you chapters 14-18, anyway, and I might actually be able to pull that off for you. Some things I’ve been sitting on for literally YEARS. For instance, in chapter 15 we learn about Roxy’s (other) powers. They’re not ones she actually has in Homestuck. Why? Because I wrote chapter 15 over 2 years ago, before we knew about Roxy’s other powers. In chapter 16, among other things, Karkat is knocked unconscious for his own protection. Also written 2 years ago. What am I supposed to do about that? Publish it anyway, probably.
One of my favorite things about Hussie’s work is that Homestuck is so rich with detail, foreshadowing, and characterization that the astute reader can pick up new insight with every reading and even try to extrapolate the direction the story will take, for instance, re:John/Roxy. And yet, he can still take us entirely unawares, mostly by continuously upping the stakes. And it’s fantastic. I’m in the middle of a 3 year certification program for a fancy, grown-up job that I really enjoy. But you know what I really want to be when I grow up? A published writer. Hopefully, one with at least a small fraction of Hussie’s talent. LILIH is my “training program” for that job. And if you enjoy it too, well, that tickles the heck out of me.
The timing of your message is interesting, by the way. Are you aware that today is the 2 year anniversary of the end of A6A6I2? [S] Game Over happened a little less than a year ago. Are you, like me, immersed in rereading Homestuck while it’s once again paused, hoping for some insight into its final form?
Anyway, it was nice hearing from you! I hope you’re doing well. You guys have all been so kind to (and supportive of) me, even though I’ve been horrid about updating LILIH. I can’t convey how much your messages mean to me, especially at this particularly insane juncture in my life.
My dearest wish is that you have or find something in your life that is as happy and fulfilling for you as writing LILIH is for me. And my second wish is that I can deliver the finished product(s) to you sooner rather than later, and that they are worthy of your eyes when that happens.
(*please note, I am still a polar bear)