There’s always someone who loves to say “push until it hurts” but never anyone to say the rest of it. So here it is:
WHEN IT STARTS TO HURT, STOP PUSHING.
That’s it. Don’t worry about us, worry about you. Don’t push again until you feel like you can. Give yourself permission to take care of yourself.
UPDATE 10/28/24
Thank you all for your support, your words of encouragement, and your patience! I took some time this month to simply be and rest and give the hurt time to actually heal. I’m not sure if I’m ready to jump back in just yet, but know that I still do not intend to leave this project hanging forever. I’ll be sure to let you all know when the words start flowing again. 
In the meantime, I hope you all have a very happy Halloween! 
You have a good Halloween as well! 
So, after taking a much-needed break from all but the most necessary work during the holidays, I am slowly but surely clawing my way back to a regular writing practice. I’m not there yet, but I have been chipping away at SotCE demo revisions again—and, equally importantly, enjoying doing so. I missed working with these characters. I missed exploring this world. And I missed the effortless, magical feeling of truly getting into a creative flow. It’s still barely a trickle for now… but even the mightiest rivers began as such.
While you’re waiting for more SotCE, feel free to check out the newly released alpha demo for my other (non-CoG) work in progress, The Dragon’s Last Flight.
Thanks, as always, for your patience and support. See y’all in the next update! 
UPDATE 05/01/205
This update is a friendly reminder that recovery is rarely a straightforward road, and that burnout recovery can be especially tricky. As it turns out, I was burned out by more than just working on SotCE—I was burned out on life in general. I say “was,” but honestly, some days it still feels like I’m in the throes of it.
Other days, however, feel good. I’ve gotten writing done since my last update—not a lot compared to what I used to be capable of, but a hell of a lot more than when things got really bad last year… and earlier this year. I’ve also been going through a lot of things, some good and some bad, that have really shaken up my creative rhythms and identity.
All of this is a long way of saying that no, sorry, no new chapters or demo update yet. I wound up having to take a step back from SotCE again. Hence the lack of updates; it got kind of exhausting to keep coming back here just to tell y’all “nothing much to share.” But I’m here now, even though I still have nothing much to share, because I am going to give it one more good try—carefully, oh so carefully, because slow and gentle progress is better than a flash of productivity followed by months of nothing but rest and recovery.
Wish me luck! And thank you again, all of you, for your support in big and small ways. It’s always, always, appreciated.
(Also, happy Beltane! 
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The most important thing is to take care of yourself. I’m excited to read this game when it’s finished, but there’s no rush. Be healthy and happy, and then you can focus on work if you’re ready.
Happy Beltane to you too! 
Just take care of yourself. We’re not going anywhere, and waiting won’t hurt us.
It’s good that you are taking care and not rushing anything and nice that you are letting us now.
Writing can be difficult at the best of times and if life gets in the way that doesn’t help.
I’m sure a lot of people are cheering you on silently as I usually would but today I had a good energy day, so there.
Best of luck with whatever you are currently doing.