S. W. Raine

I’m truly grateful for the incredible support and enthusiasm my steampunk books, The Techno Mage and Rise of the Sky Pirate, constantly receive. And while there was initial enthusiasm for my first urban fantasy book, The Elemental’s Guardian, before it released, it didn’t quite turn out to be what people expected.

First, I advertised it wrong. I guess I misunderstood what X meets Y really meant. When I advertised it as Sailor Moon meets Avatar: The Last Airbender, people expected a teenaged girl-power group with elemental abilities instead of planetary ones. Except my characters aren’t teenagers. And Ferenc isn’t a girl. So when early reviews began coming in, I realized my mistake too late. I’ve since shifted my messaging to say it’s heavily inspired by Sailor Moon and AtLA instead.

But the second problem wasn’t something I could easily or even immediately fix.

They say reviews are for readers, but as an author, the feedback from my reviews has been invaluable. So today, I want to dive into a topic many have highlighted: the pacing of the first book of the Elementals trilogy.

Listening to Readers

One of the most rewarding aspects of being an author is the connection with readers—even indirectly. Your feedback can sometimes shape the trajectory of a series, even if we have a team of alpha readers, beta readers, and editors that already went through it several times. I’ve been paying attention to your thoughts and insights.

Reflecting on the Pacing in Book 1

Originally, the Elemental’s trilogy was written as a duology before I combined everything together to create one book. But that one book was too huge, so I cut it into three instead. In The Elemental’s Guardian, I aimed to set the stage for a captivating journey, but I understand some of you found the pacing to be a bit slower than anticipated, even after I’d pulled events from the second book into the first one to help speed it up. Pacing is a delicate balance, and I appreciate the discussions around this aspect of the story.

Adjusting the Pacing in Book 2

In 2023, I delved into the editing process for Project Elementals 2. I always apply what I’ve learned from my team into my new books, including everything I learned from the previous books. And sometimes, I also apply constructive criticism from reviews, if it makes sense for me to. So I want to assure you that your insights and feedback have not fallen on deaf ears. I’ve carefully considered each comment, and the pacing has been a primary focus during the revision.

Maintaining the integrity of the narrative while addressing pacing concerns isn’t easy for me. I’ve tried to find a balance that honors the essence of the story while enhancing the overall reading experience, but I couldn’t do it without making some massive changes. And these changes are what’s slowing my editing process down to a crawl. But I’m determined to make Project Elementals 2 so much better than The Elemental’s Guardian.

To those who shared your thoughts on my pacing, thank you. I deeply appreciate your engagement, ongoing support, and constructive feedback. As we embark on the next chapter with Project Elementals 2, I’m excited for the journey ahead, and I look forward to sharing this faster-paced adventure with all of you.

Feel free to share your thoughts on the adjusted pacing, or any other aspects of the trilogy. Your voices matter, and I want to continue the conversation on social media or in the comments below. Let me know!

Raine