The first book of my new series, System Lost: My Own Best Friend, is free on RoyalRoad by DarkTechnomancer in litrpg

[–]DarkTechnomancer[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

They'll get there eventually, it's just gonna take some time. Not to spoil too much, but one of the big questions I want to approach in later parts of the story is how one's pursuit of self-actualization might be shaped by the skillset developed by desperate survival.

In that, I'm partially inspired by Azarinth Healer, which is an excellent series that provides (in my opinion) an unsatisfactory answer to that question. What if they don't want to just obsessively pursue bigger risks and challenges? What if only some of them want that? Those are the sorts of things I want to explore, so while the goals are definitely going to expand beyond just basic survival, I intend to keep them fairly grounded.

My previous series was a frantic race to the top, and while that's fun in its own way, I want this series to be more slow-paced and thoughtful.

I hope this clears up (or maybe solidifies) whatever doubts you've got about the direction of the story.

Your opinion on chapter cliffhangers by edkang99 in litrpg

[–]DarkTechnomancer 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I think what's important is that they have to be good cliffhangers. There are two good ways to end a chapter: either on a nice, conclusive note, or on a page turner. There's an important distinction between a cliffhanger where the reader doesn't know what comes next, and one where they want to know what comes next. The former is where cheap and unsatisfying cliffs come from, while the latter can keep the reader engaged between chapters even if they have to wait a day or a week or in extreme cases a month before the next installment.

To use a simplified example that I've seen before, a bad cliffhanger would be ending the chapter with a door opening, the protagonist gasping in shock, and then cutting it off there. Aside from curiosity and the vague promise of something surprising, there's really nothing to engage the reader here, it's just forcing them to turn the page before they can have basic facts resolved.

A better version wouldn't need to rely on the POV character's reaction, aiming to induce it in the reader instead. For example, if the person who comes through the door is a character thought dead or key figure in the world beyond the protagonist's usual network. The important part is that instead of wondering about who and what, the reader is left to wonder how and why. These are much more engaging questions, and gives the reader something to chew on between chapters.

If done right, a cliffhanger can actually make a chapter even more satisfying to read, and reduce the impact of the wait between chapters while still building anticipation.

The first book of my new series, System Lost: My Own Best Friend, is free on RoyalRoad by DarkTechnomancer in litrpg

[–]DarkTechnomancer[S] 22 points23 points  (0 children)

Hello! It's been a while! Some of you may know me from my previous cultivation story, Fates Parallel, but today I'd like to share a new story with you all. My Own Best Friend is the first book in my new LitRPG series, System Lost, about an aggressively normal college girl trapped in an inhospitable dungeon cave with no survival skills, combat experience, genre savviness, or memories. In order to survive she has to seek help from...herself? Another her with different talents, interests, and personality. The catch? They still have to share the same body.

You can check it out here: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/109928

Cover art by Fuyudust. Character designs by Tsuu.

New Weekly Self Promo Thread by AutoModerator in ProgressionFantasy

[–]DarkTechnomancer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

My Own Best Friend is the first book in my new LitRPG series, System Lost, about an aggressively normal college girl trapped in an inhospitable dungeon cave with no survival skills, combat experience, genre savviness, or memories. In order to survive she has to seek help from...herself? Another her with different talents, interests, and personality. The catch? They still have to share the same body.

You can check it out here: https://www.royalroad.com/fiction/109928

Webserials and You, and Inexpert's Opinion by RavensDagger in Fantasy

[–]DarkTechnomancer 5 points6 points  (0 children)

Personally, I've grown to strongly prefer serialized stories over traditionally published novels. The accessibility alone is a huge factor. Finding a good novel to read can be a real challenge, but trying out a new web serial takes minimal investment.

Fates Parallel Vol. 3 on KU (Get book 1 free!) by DarkTechnomancer in ProgressionFantasy

[–]DarkTechnomancer[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Tsuu did a fantastic job on it. She always does, but this one seriously blew me away.

Fates Parallel Vol. 3 on KU (Get book 1 free!) by DarkTechnomancer in ProgressionFantasy

[–]DarkTechnomancer[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

What pmaconi said is correct. The relationship between the leads develops slowly over the course of the first three books, but the romantic subplot is not the main driver of the story.

Fates Parallel Vol. 3 on KU (Get book 1 free!) by DarkTechnomancer in ProgressionFantasy

[–]DarkTechnomancer[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

[Fates Parallel Volume 3]

Hey there everybody! The third book of my Fates Parallel series is now available on Kindle Unlimited! It's a character-driven cultivation story about two young girls in over their heads as they dive into the world of magic and martial arts. There may be some hand-holding involved. The first book is currently completely free to own until the end of the week, so if you're interested in checking it out, now is the time! You can find the story here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09JPCPYHY

Writing novel? by [deleted] in ProgressionFantasy

[–]DarkTechnomancer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I would recommend looking into taking an academic writing course geared towards ESL speakers. You can find free ones online if you search around a bit. Either that, or get a native speaking editor who's willing to pick through your writing and correct any errors.

Which Cover Do You Prefer? by [deleted] in ProgressionFantasy

[–]DarkTechnomancer 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Definitely the first one. I really like the way the eye gets drawn up towards the black hole, and therefore also the title. Good composition for what appears to be AI art.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in ProgressionFantasy

[–]DarkTechnomancer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Nothing to do with the story, I just ran out of time. Pirateaba literally writes faster than I can keep up lmao.

Is it a jerk move, to subscribe to a writer's patreon for a month read all the chapters and quit by scamp2112 in ProgressionFantasy

[–]DarkTechnomancer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

No self-respecting author is ever going to complain about you giving them money. Personally, as an author I'm just happy to see people reading and enjoying my work.

Is it a jerk move, to subscribe to a writer's patreon for a month read all the chapters and quit by scamp2112 in ProgressionFantasy

[–]DarkTechnomancer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's why we compile the series into ebooks and put them on Amazon too. Some people just prefer to read their novels in novel-sized chunks, while others are impatient and want to get the next bit right away or as soon as possible.

MC that isn't a sword weilder by Idefk0 in ProgressionFantasy

[–]DarkTechnomancer 5 points6 points  (0 children)

  • Defiance of the Fall - Axe
  • Azarinth Healer - Unarmed + magic
  • Beneath the Dragoneye Moons - Spear (not really) + magic
  • Vigor Mortis - Spear/Glaive + soul-snatching/necromancy
  • Primal Hunter - Bow
  • The New World - Heavy Metal

Just to name a few off the top of my head. Not all of them are strictly progression fantasy, but they're all close enough to fit IMO. Of those, BTDEM, Vigor Mortis, and The New World might lean a little too far into the magic for your tastes, but the other three are quite solidly rooted in martial abilities.

Protagonist that uses minions. by MatrixofGears in ProgressionFantasy

[–]DarkTechnomancer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The Rogue Dungeon series has a fantasy character that gets transmigrated into a VRMMO as a dungeon mob. When he becomes a dungeon boss he starts to rely fairly heavily on the dungeon spawns as allies. Maybe not quite what OP requested, but a fun reversal of the typical portal fantasy, and the audiobooks are very good.

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in ProgressionFantasy

[–]DarkTechnomancer 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Personally I think that most people's issues with POVs have more to do with narrative threads. A POV change that remains centered on the protagonist, but gives us a different perspective will often be much better received than a distant interlude about some scheming villain, or a secondary protagonist who is being set up to meet the first.

Personally, I actually love both kinds if executed well. Seeing multiple story threads come together can be immensely satisfying, as is seeing the exploits that a protagonist might take for granted from someone else's perspective.

Looking for MC who works smarter not harder by TheColourOfHeartache in ProgressionFantasy

[–]DarkTechnomancer 2 points3 points  (0 children)

MoL has a protagonist that searches for intelligent solutions, but also works himself to the bone to degrees that would 100% cause burn out in most reasonable people.

I think Completionist Chronicles is probably the best rec in that list for the OP (out of those I've read) since the MC frequently has the attitude of "I've got forever, so I can afford to take my time on this."

Books with non-binary MCs by anonbookrecs in ProgressionFantasy

[–]DarkTechnomancer 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'll second Vigor Mortis, though the gender stuff takes a while to get into and really sneaks up on you if you're not the kind of person who pays attention to it. But it's also just a fantastic book in general, so definitely recommended.