So…

  That was book 1.

  I wrote this as a thought exercise on my commute to work.

  I was very bored.

  It really originated not in a book, but as theory crafting a world for a video game that I have wanted to make for years.

  I have wanted to make a Final Fantasy Tactics cultivator rogue-like for a while now.

  You will have your cultivator, moving around on an open map consisting of nodes, where different events will occur as time passes.

  You try to grow, the winning condition would be getting powerful enough and ‘Ascending’.

  If/when you die, your ‘soul’ will retain some aspect of the cultivation you have built, to be used in the next reincarnation.

  So on and so forth.

  The only problem?

  I have no idea how to code/program.

  I figured I could make the art, and then eventually AI will get good enough to help me with the 0’s and 1’s.

  It probably is good enough now, I haven't bothered looking into it.

  I started by playing around with Asesprite, attempting to learn how I would make the art:

  https://docs.google.com/u/0/docs-images-rt/AHDoZz60kP3_53oa56wzvGtzMoRNvE4Lt6_A54U4TdpPMDkWgZ6FgPS0NlAnXFc_icZr7vzeByPivmS_AYU1TkUd_gFUh1Cg1gASsCrX8uKmKyoi3H7ZiliigiwXrrlswKXTWqVWEx4VHwaFqv508Mso07FIsNVDlCB2ynxHb4nr

  (that's the best I've been able to figure out for show and tell)

  That was the first character I started to make/animate.

  You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

  (I know it's not great, I was just trying to learn.)

  That was like 2-3 years ago (that i was messing with the art, before life got in the way.)

  After some time, it became apparent to me that I may be able to think about the game, I wouldn't be able to actually do anything more productive than that while driving down the highway.

  It just so happened that the world I wanted to make is exactly like a LitRPG that I would want to read.

  So, I started writing it as a book.

  Mainly just to deepen the world for when I would eventually go make the game.

  But then it sucked me in.

  At some point, I still do want to make this video game.

  But until I receive a crazy amount of free time, that won't happen anytime soon.

  My free time is now consumed by writing.

  I had planned to be a ways into book 2 by now, but unfortunately all of my time was spent writing/editing as I was releasing book one. I just couldn't get ahead, and stay ahead.

  One thing that's interesting is that writing and construction do have some overlap.

  The first time you build anything, you step back, and think:

  “I could have done that better…”

  Every chapter is the same way.

  So as of now I'm thinking about 3-4 months until I start releasing book 2.

  I want to give myself a little bit of cushion this time, that was a little rough lol.

  Please, I would love to hear people's thoughts and opinions of book 1.

  Who has been your favorite character? Anyone besides Ken?

  Do the mechanics feel real, and make sense?

  That is very important to me, my whole thing is I get tired of reading LitRPG that seems wand wavy, or it does not feel like a real world.

  I wanted this to feel like there is some % chance that this will actually happen lol.

  Do you think I suck, and should never write another word again?

  All good questions, all requiring answers.

  I truly have had a blast writing, and I have a lot of plans for a deep world.

  I just wasn't trying to reveal too much in book 1.

  The Tutorial was just the start, there is a lot more waiting in:

  Book 2: Crucible

  (I think that will be the title)

  Thank you to everyone who has read, commented, rated/review, favorite/followed, all the shit.

  Trust me, positive feedback is much more rewarding than any day on the construction site.