Future projects

As an author--and I'm sure other authors can attest to this--I often get the question: 'How do you come up with all this stuff?'

Now, I can't speak for other authors in this regards, but most of my story ideas start with a dream. I can't remember if that's true for The Whispering Crystals as well, but it probably is.

Anyway, I had such a dream last week on Monday. I woke up from it at around 5:30, and there was no falling back asleep after. I lay awake, my mind racing as the seed developed, and as soon as the alarm clock rang, I frantically starting working out the beginning of a new LitRPG system. It quickly became more refined over the course of the next few days, first in Word, then Excel as it became too complex and started requiring calculations. I even ended up working out HTML code for simpler windows that I could use both on RoyalRoad and in an e-book ^^'

These things happen. To me, at least ^^

In fact, they happen with some regularity. Which means I have a bunch of ideas waiting to be fully worked out. Now, The Whispering Crystals is coming along very nicely, and I have good hopes of finishing at least the writing in like a year at most, so I'm cautiously starting to look at what my next project is going to be.

And I thought it'd be interesting to get your opinions on what I consider my most promising ideas so far, and what you think I should work on next ^^

The poll options don't give me much space to write, so I'll give more detail here first: (This may be obvious, but please don't just take my ideas and spread them around, or anything like that ^^')

The Forbidden Element: This was my previous project, currently in Hiatus awaiting rewrites. It's about a boy who escapes being drafted into the army by gaining admittance to a magical academy, where he finds the trail of his mother's killer. Magic system consists of elements and anti-elements, one of which is considered taboo. It's a cultivation-esque style of magic, where elemental energy has to be coupled with Concepts to produce effects. Non-LitRPG.

There's a time loop story I'm thinking of writing; I don't want to give too much away in terms of plot there, but it's about a boy who's had a bad lot in life getting a chance to learn and grow before shit hits the fan. Magic system based on three different types of energy, with most mages only controlling one of them. Focus on Spirit Constructs that can Animate objects. Non-LitRPG.

A story about a witch who's been sealed in a forest, and finds a chance to escape in the form of a maiden she rescues. The girl unwittingly seems able to control the seal, forcing her to do anything she asks as long as she adds 'please.' (This would be a Yuri romance, obviously.) Magic system has to do with increasing power through sacrifice. Witch magic mostly involves Binding items in a way that makes them better at whatever they're supposed to do. More powerful witches can keep more items Bound simultaneously. Non-LitRPG.

A story taking place in a post-nuclear-war world, where people build up Mutation energy and empower themselves with AI-guided mutations. (LitRPG, this is kinda bare-bones still, but I think it's a cool concept ^^)

My latest: A story about an indentured kitchen maid who one day, in a fit of frustration throws a kitchen knife at a buzzing fly, and nails it to the wall. In doing so, she Sparks the Knife Throwing Skill, and thus unlocks access to her Status. Her value just went up immensely, so she runs, lest she gets forced into a binding contract by her masters. Then she gets into adventures, finds her family, winds up getting caught up in a succession war or something, still working that out. This would be a LitRPG (obviously) with a focus on gaining experience through Skills. Experience allows one to level up, increase their attributes, and unlock higher tiers and grades of Skills.