Filling the Notebook

Well, I finally did it.

Usually I fill up one of my Paperblanks notebooks in one year, but this time it took a year and a half. The back half of the notebook on the left there is full of various scribblings related to the third Dabir and Asim novel and my second Paizo novel. Both have changed a lot since their initial conception.

I discovered that some of the themes I’d hoped to cover had been addressed by someone else’s Arabian fantasy novel, not in the way I was planning to address them, but with some features that were similar enough I was starting to worry that I’d be accused of lifting plot elements. I think I’ve finally got some ideas that aren’t just a cut and paste with a new monster kind of solution.

I absolutely love the Safavid Paperblanks notebook. I try to get a different notebook every year, so you’ll notice that the one my wife picked up for my birthday is Black Moroccan. It’s pretty cool and all, but I’m now wishing I’d just asked for another Safavid, which is incredibly well suited for Dabir and Asim, seeing as the style is associated with the Islamic golden age. These days I always have a Paperblanks mini-notebook on me, as I discussed in probably too much detail at Black Gate.

I’ve been experimenting with some new (to me) techniques for outlining. I’ll probably talk about those next week some time. For now, here’s to a good weekend.