Hello, dreamers. Having completed my editing pass, I’ve decided my time with my current work-in-progress has ended for now. With short fiction going well and query prep right around the corner, that plus the holidays means I just don’t have the time and capacity to continue work on a novel project. As such, this will be the last “WIP Wednesday” post I’ll make this year.

As I mentioned in this week’s “Writer’s Desk”, a mix of emotions accompanied this decision. But I take heart in knowing I’m not done with this story, not even close. And I’m finally ready to write it, and see where Karen Hernandez will take me. So with that said, here are my final thoughts for this year on my beloved work-in-progress:

Aquarius 1

I leave things in an uncomfortable limbo: the two POV characters have been separated, pursuing different goals as the Challenger nears orbit of a gas giant. It’s always hard to step back from a really good project, but it’s even harder when I’m leaving things off right when they’re about to get good.

However, I couldn’t be happier with what I’ve accomplished over the past month or so. Drawing on the lessons of the past year, I’ve been able to introduce tension earlier. I have a much more developed and flawed cast of major characters, to go along with what was already an excellent overall plot. Moreover, this was my first experience writing a voice-y novel from the ground up (rather than converting to that later, as I did with Seven Days on Samarkand). Each chapter now feels like it’s told from a distinct perspective, without any of the “zoomed-out” dispassionate observer chapters I’d originally had in SDoS.

Not counting the rewrite of SDoS this past year, Aquarius 1 could be seen as the first novel project I’ve worked on since adopting my new, more internal style of writing. It gave me the opportunity to write a story from two wildly different points-of-view. I experimented with different techniques, including setting aside different writing sessions during the day for different characters. Ultimately, this feels like another huge step forward.

As for where I go from here, while I know precisely where the story is going, it’s my own writing process that leaves questions. Given the way my writing usually progresses throughout a year, early spring will likely be my next window to revisit the story and resume writing. With any luck I’ll have an agent by then, but if not, there’s a good chance Aquarius 1 will be the next novel I query with.

Either way, I don’t intend to just ignore my work-in-progress over the coming months. I’m going back into research, in hopes of finishing the vital work of crafting a believable alien biosphere. In addition to my own tireless research, I’m considering reaching out to experts in the field: marine biologists and exobiologists, in particular. Hopefully, I’ll be able to find someone willing to lend me some of their valuable time to paint a more believable picture of an alien marine ecosystem.

And so, on that hopeful note, I say “So long,” to Aquarius 1 for 2025. It’s been a lot of fun. More fun than I thought it would be. And I can’t wait to see where it leads me next. – MK