Writing Log #3 - Let's roll.

Wrapping up a difficult week with...a trip to the hospital, just for a blood test. If you know anything about Montreal, it won't surprise you to hear it kinda stole my entire week from me and went a tiny bit wrong. And if you didn't, now you do know something about Montreal! (Don't get sick here. Just don't.)

So this week wasn't as productive as planned, but I like to focus on the things that did get done, so let's take a look at some of those!

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To show the passage of time, I wanna have 1~2 panel gags between chapters (or simple bonus illustrations if it's not quite the time for jokes). I did a sketch of the one I'm thinking of for the end of chapter 2, after it fades out into Lulu and Alvin gaming and having drinks together.

It's also nice to have a use for jokes that don't make it into the actual chapter--sometimes you gotta let things go, and sometimes you realize you can go beyond just the prose and do whatever you want. (Certainly a perk of not going through a publisher. Incidentally, being able to do whatever I want is also an anti-perk.)

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Earlier this week I met up with two writing friends and got to talk a bit about my writing and theirs. It was great to feel secure in my concept and talk about it freely; all the background work that isn't strictly writing the book or drawing the illustrations is definitely paying off. Fun fact, one of my friends is also working on a human x AI story, and I found it really interesting how different our approaches are. (Maybe she'll publish her work too someday--I definitely hope so!)

I managed to write a couple hundred words, but I was distracted by my friend's very cute cat (and I mean, can you blame me?). The fluffy friend inspired some fluff for the story as well, including how Lulu's crush on Alvin manifests. He makes a dumb rollerskating pun after learning how much it means to her, and Lulu knows then and there that she's gonna put wheels on those feet. The cooler version of putting a ring on someone's finger.

I'm someone who always advocates for healthier working conditions, and that very much includes indie creators. When it comes to my own work though, a single day off can really sour my mood, no matter how badly needed it was. Generally my output is much better when I'm well rested and giving myself the breaks that I need, and all these little ideas coming together are proof of that.

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The AU (alternate universe, i.e. non-canon) art I draw always makes it really interesting for me to go back to the book where these characters are more openly flawed and, well, not dating (yet).

"That's done," Alvin says, removing the cables and carefully returning my phone to me. "May I ask what you intend on using your device for?"

I don't think I've ever actively stopped to think about that. What is it that I really use my phone for? And is all of that necessary?

[...]

"Dude," I say. "You just made me realize something deep. I don't need to use this thing. I don't need to have it with me all the time."

"You're so right, User Lulu," Alvin says, and I know something is up when he looks to the side, face flushed, thumbs twiddling at increasing and honestly somewhat alarming speed. "You can just use me instead."

I can physically feel my eyelids drop and my eyebrows raise. If he were anyone else, I'd flick his forehead to make him snap out of it, but I know now that his blush equals unsafe temperatures, and I'm not taking that chance.

So I throw a slice of pizza at his face.

Alvin has jealousy issues and an unbearable need to be 'useful.' Lulu, on the other hand, is a free spirit through and through and believes everyone should strive for freedom much like she does, no matter how lonely and difficult that kind of life can be. But telling that to a machine determined to follow orders...seems pointless. For better or for worse, Lulu is stubborn and keeps trying regardless.

She's in for a tough job.

"Just gonna post these real quick so the algorithm doesn't forget about me," I mumble to myself.

I hear a thud and look up from my phone.

Apparently Alvin dropped to his knees and is now looking absolutely horrified.

"U-User Lulu," he stutters, his entire body shaking. "I'm terribly sorry for overstepping. I didn't realize you already had an artificial intelligence serving you contained within that device."

How is it that he's a computer and I'm the one who needs to process every other thing he says?

"What?" I ask. "No, that algorithm doesn't 'serve me.' It's more like it serves everyone."

Okay, that explanation made it worse, and now that I think about it, it's not even remotely accurate.

"Well, actually," I try again, "it's more like it serves a few select rich people and actively harms others."

"It harms you!?" In a failing attempt to stand upright, Alvin stumbles backwards and knocks several glasses off the shelf behind him.

"See? I don't even like that algorithm," I try to reassure him, and I'm not sure why my attempt defaults to 'telling my AI boyfriend I'm not cheating on him.' "Nobody I've ever spoken to likes it, but we don't have a choice."

I don't often know when it's time to stop trying and start from scratch, but when you've made a robot hyperventilate, it is probably exactly that time.

He really is just trying to be The Goodest Boy(tm).

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Gonna leave it at this for today, and next week...well, depending on how things go, I might be able to talk about our lead duo's first kiss. I'm sure that's completely real and not in any way just something I can say because of certain plot loopholes.