Dear Apprentice,
It is NaNoWriMo and I’ve not started writing anything! This isn’t a bug but a feature, as the first week of November was my rest period for my crop rotation. I had originally planned to return to the first draft of Phrygian Nights this week, but I’ve been convinced that SOIL provides a better basis for the Summer 2026 serial run on the The Arcanist.
SOIL is an idea I had a long time ago—it’s of an age with Ashen Rider, having been something I’ve been tinkering with since about 2020 or so. In 2023, I had drafted the entire first act and a couple other chapters from later in the story.
However, this text is unusable—I was still learning to write back then—and so I’ll be beginning this first draft from scratch, taking queues from my prework as I had done Phrygian Nights.
The key difference between SOIL and Phrygian Nights is purely the age of the concept and the amount of prework I’m basing this off of. I had done extensive research and drafting and note taking back in 2023 and have about 12,000 words to work from.
So, without further delay, let’s start writing.
Word Counts #
| Week | Total Count | Target |
|---|---|---|
| 1 (Nov. 9) | 10,899 | 10,899 of 45,000 |
| 2 (Nov. 16) | 4,826 | 15,725 of 45,000 |
| 3 (Nov. 23) | 6,782 | 22,507 of 45,000 |
| 4 (Nov. 30) | 10,954 | 33,461 of 45,000 |
| 5 (Jan. 11) | 6,222 | 39,683 of 45,000 |
| 6 (Jan. 18) | ||
| 7 (Jan. 25) | ||
| Current Crop Rotation: Jan. 11, 2026 thru Jan. 31, 2026 |
SOIL First Draft — November 2025 #
Week One #
Tuesday — 11/11 #
I’ve decided to begin with the prelude short story for this serialization. This is the opposite order as with Ashen Rider; “The Scarlet Chair” was one of the very last things I created for that story.
Unlike Phrygian Nights—which I was unsure how to introduce or how to serialize it—I have a solid idea for a story to introduce SOIL. I began working on it last week, actually; after taking a CPR training course.
I couldn’t get the image out of my head of a drunken father passed out by a frozen pond, while his toddler wandered into the water and drowned. Progressive complications demand that his drinking buddy dive in and save the child with live saving procedures. Meanwhile the drunken dad falls into a deep sleep in the chill and freezes to death.
This relates well with one of the POVs in the prework. Shelka Morn is a headstrong 11-year-old girl who has elected herself leader of the local children. She lives with her single mother, who is abusive and a shut in.
Shelka has this childish, unreasonably high regard for her father, who is gone. I’ve decided he is the drunk who froze to death, and she was the toddler who almost drowned. The Hermit, another fun character from the prework, was the drinking buddy who saved her. Hermit swears off drinking and lives in the woods because he’s so ashamed of what had happened to Shelka.
So that’s we’re starting tonight. About 1,000 words prior, hoping to get another 2,500. Went ahead and lumped the words I accumulated prior into Monday for the word count. Short stories are always harder to write than books.
Wednesday — 11/12 #
Today was remarkably productive. Though I was hoping to have more time to write this evening—since Eden is up visiting family, I’m doing more writing stuff in the evening—but I can’t be mad at myself for what I’ve accomplished.
I’m quite proud of “Thoughts of the Drowned”, the prelude to SOIL. It was hard coming out, but it was—like Ashen Rider—an emotionally taxing story to immerse into.
I awaiting Lee’s input on the story, and may revise accordingly, but I’m rather confident in this first draft. I don’t always need to rewrite short fiction and this one feels extremely solid. So much so, here’s a link so you can read for yourself.
I also completed a blog post for Ashen Rider. I’ll be trying to do one of those a week to help the SEO and AIO stuff catalog info on the book.
Now, on to the juicy bits. So I’ve read the pre-work (fuckin’ piecemeal throughout the course of a week, but hey that’s working life) and I’m pleasently surprised that it’s not nearly as bad as I had thought it would be.
That doesn’t mean I’m using any of the text, mind you, but it does mean I was on the right track with the narrative. I’ve taken extensive notes during the prework outline the key events and conflicts. I did, however, outline the goals of the introduction, and the prework very much reads like exploration rather than initiation.
So, I’m going to outline what I’d like to accomplish for the book, split into five acts. Rather, I’ll try—let’s see how it goes first.
SOIL Narrative Outline #
Hook: A spirit in the forest haunts the Village in the Shins. It latches on to folks, which comes with good and bad effects. Sometimes they know, sometimes they don’t. A famine has stricken the village, and only Ithica can grow crops—but her green thumb has come at the cost of her womb. The Hermit is bound to the forest and must never enter the Village, so too is her bound to protect Shelka Morn. Shelka Morn is not yet cursed, but has been chosen by the Forest spirit.
At the same time, Baptiste Fournier and Armelia Cordoba have arrived in the Shins, fleeing the conviction at the hands of the Martikov Black House. They must hide their vampirism, but it is soon revealed, leading to progressive complications. When the Martikovs come into town, the locals become divided. Baptiste and Armelia help Ithica and Shelka navigate the wiles of the spirit to end the famine.
Ending: Ultimately, there is no way to break the Spirit’s hold aside from leaving. Ithica, Hromgir, Shelka, Baptiste, and Armelia are exiled, saving the village from famine. There will also be a point where Edmund Martikov turns into a werewolf and terrorizes the village, who is then slain by Baptiste. This will lead to the bittersweet ending, where the locals have accepted the outsider cast, but must exile them anyway.
Table 1.1 — First Set of Narrative Beats #
| Act | Narrative Beat |
|---|---|
| 1 | Ithica in garden, the kids come to play, she scolds them, goes home to Hromgir. Their conflict is set up. Prework |
| 1 | Shelka leads her children mob into the garden. Jorn is injured and Helgi is furious. Prework |
| 1 | Baptiste and Armelia ride into town with the Wystran caravan. First impression of the nature of the Shins from an outsider’s view. |
| 1 | Ithica and Hromgir try for a baby. Ithica reflects on how they had met. She doesn’t really know Hromgir’s past as a strider.Prework |
| 1 | Baptiste and Armelia try to get comfortable in their quarters at Collin’s. Arm feels safe, but Baps is on edge.Prework |
| 1 | Shelka Morn stumbles across A’s midnight outing. She’s not sure what she’s seeing. Decides to come back the following night to stalk her. |
| 1 | Ithica and Hromgir bring supplies for B & A’s welcome feast. Helgi intercepts them and raises hell about Ithica’s garden.Prework |
| 1 | Collin reflects on his ward, Ignar. Then helps Hromgir and Ithica set up the feast.Prework |
| 1 | Baptiste continues to worry and shut himself away. Armelia has been walking in the daylight.Prework |
| 1 | Ithica and Hromgir meet B&A and begin dinner. It’s an awkward first meeting.Prework |
| 1 | During dinner, Baps is morified by the sorcerous aura attached to I, and is convinced she is some powerful being in disguise. He refuses to eat, for fear of his own magic being discovered.Prework |
| 1 | Hromgir is angry about the dinner. Ithica is indifferent and will not admit her own reservations. Collin acts as devil’s advocate.Prework |
| 1 | Shelka Morn follow’s A into the woods and runs away into the cold. Prework |
| 1 | The Hermit watches after Shelka Morn and argues with the Forest spirit. He saves her from freezing to death—she recognizes him, but isn’t sure why. |
Thursday — 11/13 #
I wrote and finished Chapter One. It’s always cathartic to see visible evidence of my growth as a writer. I’ve grown much since I started conceptualizing this project only two or three years ago.
Ithica is a character I can never forget. Her and Hromgir’s struggles to conceive too closely mirror mine and Eden’s. I remember feeling, back then when I first wrote the prework, that I wasn’t old enough or mature enough to properly write the story I had in mind for SOIL. I have since decided this was a good instinct, and I’m so glad I waited.
We’ve lived a lot of life, suffered a lot of pain, and enjoyed a lot of healing. We’ve also gardened much. Every detail of Ithica’s garden has come right out of our own.
Structurally, this chapter is a relief. Thoughts of the Drowned is heavy and dark. Chapter 1 is relatively light-hearted. It serves as a relief and promotes nuance. I don’t wish for anything to be too overbearing, emotionally speaking.
Like I did for Phrygian Nights, you can read along with my first drafts. Find Chapter One here.
Friday — 11/14 #
I got much done today. Mostly spent the morning looking at homework for my MBA and working on the jamesdmills.com website, preparing for Ashen Rider’s launch. Since I’ve been promoted at work, free time is very scarce, but today my part-timer didn’t show up and my boss left for the day, leaving me with a couple hours to write after I finished my projects for the day.
Shelka was a joy to return to. I leaned into her tactical, dissociative personality, and scrapped her bent towards manipulation present in the prework. She wishes to be liked and admired, to be a hero, but she’s not evil or psychotic.
I also went on to write Baptiste’s opening chapter, which is more from scratch with only a few details from the prework. I love Baptiste, and I’ve heard many readers express their enjoyment of his appearance in “The Scarlet Chair.” While Baptiste existed in SOIL before “The Scarlet Chair” was ever a twinkle in my eye, I’m hoping his appearance in this novel will be a nice reward for returning readers.
I’ve realized how much I accidentally taken from Twilight. I’ve never read the books, but I’ve seen the movies several times, watching with Eden and other friends throughout the years. My vampires eat animals and have gone to the Great North to avoid the sun during the day. However, my vampires will get toasted from sunlight, unlike Meyers’s sparkling supermodels.
If nothing else, it will make for a fun anecdote when I begin creating promo blog posts for SOIL’s release.
Read the first draft of Chapter 2.
Saturday — 11/15 #
Finished Bap’s updated introductory chapter and reworked the scene where Ithica is reflecting at night. There’s some solid narrative structure in these opening chapters but what follows in the pre work begins to lose cohesion. The previous list of beats I’d drafted isn’t quite up to snuff, so I’m going to update it here.
Looks like all I really had to do was remove a couple of middle beats muddying the structure.
Read the first draft of Chapter 3
Table 1.2 — Updated Narrative Beats #
| Act | Narrative Beat | Done? |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ithica in garden, the kids come to play, she scolds them, goes home to Hromgir. Their conflict is set up. Prework | X |
| 1 | Shelka leads her children mob into the garden. Jorn is injured and Helgi is furious. Prework Sees a woman run into the woods. | X |
| 1 | Baptiste and Armelia ride into town with the Wystran caravan. First impression of the nature of the Shins from an outsider’s view. | X |
| 1 | Ithica and Hromgir try for a baby. Ithica reflects on how they had met. She doesn’t really know Hromgir’s past as a strider.Prework | X |
| 1 | Ithica and Hromgir bring supplies for B & A’s welcome feast. Helgi intercepts them and raises hell about Ithica’s garden.Prework | X |
| 1 | Collin reflects on his ward, Ignar. Then helps Hromgir and Ithica set up the feast.Prework | |
| 1 | Baptiste continues to worry and shut himself away. Armelia has been walking in the daylight.Prework | |
| 1 | Ithica and Hromgir meet B&A and begin dinner. It’s an awkward first meeting.Prework | |
| 1 | During dinner, Baps is morified by the sorcerous aura attached to I, and is convinced she is some powerful being in disguise. He refuses to eat, for fear of his own magic being discovered.Prework | |
| 1 | Hromgir is angry about the dinner. Ithica is indifferent and will not admit her own reservations. Collin acts as devil’s advocate.Prework | |
| 1 | Shelka Morn follow’s A into the woods and runs away into the cold. Prework | |
| 1 | The Hermit watches after Shelka Morn and argues with the Forest spirit. He saves her from freezing to death—she recognizes him, but isn’t sure why. |
Week One Word Count #
| Day | Words Written | Chapter |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, 11/09 | — | — |
| Mon, 11/10 | 1000 | Prelude (—) |
| Tue, 11/11 | 1434 | Prelude (—) |
| Wed, 11/12 | 1929 | Prelude (X) |
| Thu, 11/13 | 1654 | P1, C1 (X) |
| Fri, 11/14 | 2392 | P1, C2 (X) and C3 (—) |
| Sat, 11/15 | 2490 | P1, C3 (X) and C4 (—) |
| Week One Total: 10,899 |
Week Two #
Sunday — 11/16 #
Got a nice session in today. Was a bit scattered, animals and family life can do that, but it was a relaxing day in with Eden and later in the day my good friend, Dane, came and ran a session of Shadowdark RPG for us.
This was my first day writing for Collin, who is a minor POV. He’s so wholesome and loving, so it’s a joy to write his parts.
Monday — 11/17 #
No writing done today. Launched Kickstarter. A success, but not one relevant to this journal.
Tuesday — 11/18 #
Dog is groaning….
Worked in fragments today. Part of it was a rare evening session where I squeezed in some words while Eden interviewed for her new job (yay Eden ,congrats!)
So I had taken Sam, my 10-year old golden lab whom I love very much, into the office with me and my sweet boy dedicated himself to squealing like a door hinge with every exhalation. Why? Because he could hear his mama talking and I had closed the door.
I found that I couldn’t ignore it. Every groan was a screeching halt to my focus (it takes 23 minutes to regain optimal focus, remember!) and I was probably writing at less than half my usual pace.
Eventually, I found the hack—I opened the door and got a snack. His eyes were glued to my snack (Sam is a silent beggar), and since the door was open, his source of anxiety was gone.
Somehow, I managed the highest word count of the week thus far.
Wednesday — 11/19 #
Got some work in during lunch. I had a relatively calm morning with a lot of free time at work, but most of my time was spent reading for the MBA and getting a facebook ad put together for the kickstarter.
These last several scenes have felt like a slog. I’ll check later on to see if they read like it.
Also, I found out that Baptiste Fournier, was originally called Baptiste Gauthier in the prework. Haha oops! Fournier is what was printed in Ashen Rider, so Fournier it stays! Sashay away!
…sorry.
Thursday — 11/20 #
Busy day at work. Got a bit done in the morning. I had planned to take my lunch to write, but a creepy guy was hanging out by the house so I drove home instead to check on everyone.
It’s certainly a slower week, but I have Friday evening and Saturday morning to myself, so I think I’ll be able to catch up.
Friday — 11/21 #
Didn’t spend much time writing. Did what I could in the morning. Worked all day, went out with another write for coffee after work, and came home and did functionally nothing.
I’m tired man, this Kickstarter thing wiped me.
Saturday — 11/22 #
While I had planned to write all day, I woke up late and did the dishes and took care of the dogs and sat outside and enjoyed the morning. Then I came in and began playing a video game.
The body tells you what it wants. This is the thing about being an accountable writer—I can afford to rest guilt free, I know I’ll come back.
I did several chapters of audiobook narration for Ashen Rider, since I had the motivation and the house was quiet. I was doing that for over an hour before the animals caught on to my taking advantage of the quiet and starting making a shit ton of noise.
A good day, I’ll write if I can but I’m thinking it might wait until tomorrow.
Week Two Word Count #
| Day | Words Written | Chapter |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, 11/18 | 1018 | P1, C5(X) |
| Mon, 11/19 | — | — |
| Tue, 11/20 | 1448 | P1, C6(X), C7(X), C8(—) |
| Wed, 11/12 | 1107 | P1, C8(X), C9(—) |
| Thu, 11/13 | 590 | P1, C9(X), C10(—) |
| Fri, 11/14 | 663 | P1, C10(X), C11(—) |
| Sat, 11/15 | — | — |
| Week Two Total: 4,826 |
Week Three #
Monday — 11/24 #
Ended up resting for most of the weekend. Got a good session in this morning and finished a chapter. One more to finish out Part One, then I’ll send to Lee for some feedback.
I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished today, especially after the less than fruitful week I had last week.
At this point though, I am a bit nervous. I going off from the prework and going by the seat of my pants henceforth. I need to do some research on the mythology behind the monster I want to use, especially since I’m ditching the Pet Sematary magic undead dirt idea (I love it, but just too many things happening in a short book).
Tomorrow, I’ll begin Part Two. I think I’d like to start it with the hermit finding Shelka, go to Ithica’s morning sickness, then to Lord Edmund’s approach and mauling. I suppose there being werewolves in the mountains requires some further worldbuilding about the village. Hama will also be introduced, and so she can enlighten the reader to many of these things.
Onto new horizons!
Tuesday — 11/25 #
Wrote less than I thought I would yesterday. I’m finding myself procrastinating. I can’t attribute a source, perhaps it’s just general anxiety or imposter syndrome, but I find myself becoming avoidant when I hit milestones in projects. It’s easier not to finish something.
At the same time, it’s done when it’s done. I’m no longer in a rush, nor do I have delusions about where these books will go in terms of money and clout.
I’m extremely surprised by how the Hermit has changed. He’s got special powers now, and only one arm from plunging his arm into the frozen pond to save Shelka. It seems I’ve always changed the resurrection plot into a missing persons plot.
Shelka is gone—taken by the Old God, who feeds on the souls of of children and unborn babies—and now the fingers will start pointing. Once it’s clear to the village that Baps and Armelia are vampyres, there’s our conflict.
Wednesday — 11/26 #
Now it’s time for another BEAT LIST. I’m not full confident in this narrative structure, but it’s all prone to change anyhow. This is just a first draft after all.
| Act | Beat | Done? |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | The Hermit defends Shelka from Armelia in the woods. Armelia is clearly not trying to hurt her, but its a lot of misunderstanding. | X |
| 2 | Ithica wakes up with morning sickness. She and Hromgir dare to hope but elect to see Elder Hama before anything else. While she is working in the garden, she discovers her plants have been blighted despite her countermeasures | X |
| 2 | Armelia returns to Baptiste a mess, she worries for Shelka (whom she hasn’t yet met) . Baptiste is disturbed by the man she described and decides it’s time for Armelia to unlock her full power (by drinking human blood for the first time) Aremlia is resistant but complies | X |
| 2 | Collin speaks with Ignar about his romantic feelings, and is feeling proud. Reflects on Magnolia. Gerdur knocks on the door, worried for Shelka. | X |
| 2 | Ithica and Hromgir visit Elder Hama who confirms her pregnancy, but also tells her of the darkness following her. “There are ancients in these woods, battling for purchase in a world that has forgotten them” | X |
| 2 | Hunting in the woods the next night, Baptiste and Armelia argue over who they should kill. Hunters or traders, ultimately, the Hermit shows up again. Instead of fighting them he invites them to a feast—“You need not kill this night, I have the blood you need.” (night 3 — waxing moon) | |
| 2 | Shelka Morn speaks with the Old God, asking it questions—it speaks slant, but assures her that she is important, that she’s been chosen | |
| 2 | Baptiste and Armelia feast with the Old God, who seems cordial at first, but deceives them—offering Armelia human blood that she does not have to kill for, she takes the offering despite Baptiste’s protests. Turns out she drank the Soul’s Blood of Snorri Morn—which gives her insatiable lust for more blood, she becomes a drunk. | |
| 2 | Ithica and Hromgir discuss the dark foretellings Hama had told them, Helgi overhears as she lingers outside their cottage for her wash basin. She picks up her item, and it’s implied she’ll start sowing discourse round the village. | |
| 2 | Collin approaches the children and enlists their help searching for Shelka Morn | |
| 2 | Ithica notices a difference in the way people treat her in the town, as she’s giving out her produce. | |
| 2 | Armelia lays it on thick with Ignar, influenced by Snorri Morn’s soulsblood. Lures him alone. She doesn’t intend on killing him, but she won’t be able to resist Snorri Morn’s drunken lust | |
| 2 | The Martikov’s are on the way (night 4 — full moon). The lord is mauled by a cough werewolf cough and is rushed to Elder Hama for healing. |
Saturday — 11/29 #
Still got some good writing in, even for the Thanksgiving travel. Tomorrow should be the beginning of a rest period, but I’m invested in this project and wish to keep writing. I felt that way last time, too—so let’s see if that holds water.
I’ve written a chapter where Ithica seeks advice on her potential pregnancy. We’re getting into the very personal bits that I’ve gone through with my better half. I thought much about her, when depicting Ithica.
She knows this—and I think she’s happy that I’m choosing to write a real and respectful fantasy version of a woman’s experience, who wishes above all else to become a mother. It’s a powerful motivation, and sacred. I hope to do it justice.
I turned to Eden more than a few times to ask her questions about her symptoms, and also about words she might use regarding ceramics, since she is the resident expert.
Alright—this was a good rotation. On to the next one.
Week Three Word Count #
| Day | Words Written | Chapter |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, 11/23 | — | — |
| Mon, 11/24 | 2,314 | P1(X), C11(X) C12(X) |
| Tue, 11/25 | 925 | P2, Poem (X), C1 (X) |
| Wed, 11/26 | 1,342 | P2, C2(X), C3 (X) |
| Thu, 11/27 | — | — |
| Fri, 11/28 | 899 | P2, C4 (X) |
| Sat, 11/29 | 1302 | P2, C5 (X) |
| Week Three Total: 6,782 |
Week Four #
Sunday — 11/30 #
On to week four to continue on my NaNoWriMo attempt. Usually this would be a rest week but I’m very invested in SOIL and want to keep it moving.
Took some more time to write. I really love where this story is going. There’s a good blend between discovery and planning—and every session is surprising me. Onward to another strong week. Perhaps I might reach the 50,000 word goal by the 30-day mark yet (not that I really expect to—or even hope to).
Monday — 12/1 #
Coming up on the second half of Part Two, I think its time to restructure the beats. At first, I had placed Collin’s chapters first in this sequence, but after writing it today I felt having Ithica and Hromgir’s discussion happen first would make for better pacing.
My plan going forward is this—the Old God is losing power and trying to consolodate. Obviously, vampires make it difficult (at least that’s the perception). Taking advantage of Armelia’s willful nature, the Old God will feed her Snorri Morn’s soul’s blood out of a rusted chalice that is forged from fragments of the Scarlet Chair. Baptiste will recognize this too late to stop her.
Since Edmund is hunting Baptiste but is mauled, Baptiste will be charged to help Hama nurse him to health. This will create conflict later on. The Old God seeks sow discourse and allow the townsfolk to oust them on their own.
EDIT: Today ended up being insane at work. I wanted 2,000+ words but I’m lucky I even got to 1,000.
| Act | Narrative Beat | Done? |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Ithica and Hromgir discuss the dark foretellings Hama had told them, Helgi overhears as she lingers outside their cottage for her wash basin. She picks up her item, and it’s implied she’ll start sowing discourse round the village. | X |
| 2 | Collin has led a group into the woods and is looking for Shelka Morn. Start looping in other side characters. | X |
| 2 | Baptiste and Armelia feast with the Old God, who seems cordial at first, but deceives them—offering Armelia human blood that she does not have to kill for, she takes the offering despite Baptiste’s protests. Turns out she drank the Soul’s Blood of Snorri Morn—which gives her insatiable lust for more blood, she becomes a drunk. | X |
| 2 | Collin’s company finds Baptiste and Armelia saving Shelka. This helps their reputation with the townsfolk. Baps lies and says they found her on their hunt. They’re all a bit dazed from the influence of the Old God. Baps now knows that it had attached itself to Shelka and Ithica, he will seek out Ithica soon. | X |
| 2 | The Martikov’s are on the way (night 4 — full moon). The lord is mauled by a cough werewolf cough and is rushed to Elder Hama for healing. | X |
| 3 | Ithica notices a difference in the way people treat her in the town, as she’s giving out her produce. | |
| 3 | Armelia lays it on thick with Ignar, influenced by Snorri Morn’s soulsblood. Lures him alone. She doesn’t intend on killing him, but she won’t be able to resist Snorri Morn’s drunken lust |
Tuesday — 12/2 #
It’s a whiny dog morning full of chores. I woke up late and fighting for purchase against the tide of distraction has been trying. Despite this, I’ve managed to write a complete chapter at 1200 words. Now, I’m going to go round the house and do chores and get ready for work.
Will try to get more done later today. Will also try to start synthesizing a list of inspirations and reading list. There’s much nonfiction I need to expose myself to, I need to become better versed in how people lived their lives in settings like this.
EDIT: Holy crap, what a day!
Wednesday — 12/3 #
I’ve finished Part Two (of four? five??) but I’m having some hardship figuring out where to go next. I know I want to return to the town and that the Vampyres will won the trust of the townsfolk, until Armeila kills Ignar, of course. The knight will be arriving injured and will begin causing issues by part four. I have no idea, how Ithica and Hromgir, are going to venture out to find out about the old god.
Thursday — 12/4 #
Woke up late, so not much time to write this morning. But I am going to try to come with an outline for Part 3. There are a few things that need to happen in this chapter. Two pieces of complicating drama—Armelia will give in to her hunger and tragically kills Ignar. Second, Ithica will begin feeling the effects of her pregnancy and miscarry by the end of the part.
P.S. Going to format it a bit different
Friday — 12/5 #
Probably won’t get a lick of writing in tomorrow as I’ll be selling books in KY. But I’ll do my best today. Starting to hit a slump, but powering through. First drafts can be difficult because you love the story so much, but it can be painful to see it in such a raw state. Anyhoo, definitely getting tired, I’m well beyond my 3 week sprint, behind in school, and one more week to go.
Act 3 Narrative Beats #
| # | Narrative Beat | Done? |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ithica wakes up in the morning, and miraculously the barely has sprouted. She is going to have a son. She tells Hromgir, it’s a wondrous moment. | X |
| 2 | The builders and the byfoged at showing Baptiste his new house. He is consumed with worry over Armelia, who has been quiet since the previous night. | X |
| 3 | Collin talks with Ignar, who is head over heels but concerned about mixed signals. He tells him a bit about his mother. | X |
| 4 | Shelka is being questioned by her mother, she insists she does not remember anything (lie?). Shelka compares her mother to her father, her mother slaps her. | |
| 5 | The Hermit is walking in the woods, reflecting on the pond, pondering the implications of his actions. He knows the Old God’s plight, but does not know that the Old God intends on consuming the souls of children. Putting it together maybe? | |
| 6 | Garland rides into town with the bleeding Edmund Martikov, Ithica and Collin set to work on him at the inn. One of the hunters goes off to summon Hama. Baptiste arrives and ends up being the one to stabilize him with miraculous healing (Dusk powers) | |
| 7 | Ithica is pulled aside by Baptiste after the chaos. He apologizes for his conduct and explains to her the threat of the Old God. “What shall I do, I’m but a wife!” He understands and promises that he will look into the problem. | |
| 8 | Collin sees the hushed conversation between Ithica and Baptiste and again is beginning to doubt the newcomers’s intention. Once Hama arrives to tend to the knight, he goes to visit Gerdur and notice’s Shelka’s bruise. He leaves troubled and dissapointed in himself for placing so much on struggling people. | |
| 9 | Ithica returned home and is trimming the garden, when she notices the blight has spread to more plants, killing fruits and withering roses. | |
| 10 | Shelka goes off that night, trying to make sense of what had happened. Her memory isn’t clear. She sees Armelia and Ignar again. She follows, watches with captivation as they begin to make love in the barn. She witnesses Armelia lose control and devour him. The Old God speaks to her, pleased with what’s happening. | |
| 11 | The Hermit performs a ritual on the Old God’s behalf, the intention isn’t clear, but the result invigorates the flora around him. | |
| 12 | Ithica wakes up in the night and goes through a terrible miscarriage. Hromgir is beside her the whole time. |
Week Four Word Count #
| Day | Words Written | Chapter |
|---|---|---|
| Sun, 11/30 | 2363 | P2, C6(X), C7(X) |
| Mon, 12/1 | 1083 | P2, C9(X), C8(—) |
| Tue, 12/2 | 3249 | P2, C8(X), C10(X), C11(X) |
| Wed, 12/3 | 1294 | P2, C12(X) |
| Thu, 12/4 | 1713 | P3, C1(X), C2(X) |
| Fri, 12/5 | 1252 | P3, C3(X) |
| Sat, 12/6 | — | — |
| Week Four Total: 10,954 |
Week Five #
Tuesday — 1/13 #
Welcome back! It’s been a bit more than a month since I thought about SOIL. In the meantime, I’ve been deep in research and writing other projects. Since Sunday, I’ve been rereading and revising what I’ve read so far.
I’m almost caught up now and should get to actually writing tomorrow. I have a better grasp on where the story is headed, but still have some decentralized thoughts. For examples, I know I’ve decided that Armelia is not going to be who kills Ignar, but she will be blamed for it. I can’t for the life of me find where I wrote this down. It’s not in this journal for some reason.
So my loose idea is that Shelka will do it at the Old God’s behest.
The best part about the review—it’s not as bad as I had thought! All very usable writing with a good edit. I’m proud of that, especially since I likely will not have time for a complete rewrite.
Wednesday — 1/14 #
We’re officially back writing and I’m off to slow start as I usually am on first day back. Well perhaps that isn’t fair, I’ve written over 700 words and it just 5am. Doesn’t help I had to start with a traumatic scene. But I’m on to greener pastures before the emotional climax of Act 3. I’m going to aim to have act 3 done by end of week, and then go one act per week. I think I can do it.
I’m still searching my notes for any sign of plans. I have two more physical notebooks it could have been in. Will update throughout the day.
| # | Narrative Beat | Done? |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ithica wakes up in the morning, and miraculously the barely has sprouted. She is going to have a son. She tells Hromgir, it’s a wondrous moment. | X |
| 2 | The builders and the byfoged at showing Baptiste his new house. He is consumed with worry over Armelia, who has been quiet since the previous night. | X |
| 3 | Collin talks with Ignar, who is head over heels but concerned about mixed signals. He tells him a bit about his mother. | X |
| 4 | Shelka is being questioned by her mother, she insists she does not remember anything (lie?). Shelka compares her mother to her father, her mother beats her. | X |
| 5 | The Hermit is walking in the woods, reflecting on the pond, pondering the implications of his actions. He knows the Old God’s plight, and some of his plans. Wavering loyalty | X |
| 6 | Garland rides into town with the bleeding Edmund Martikov, Ithica and Collin set to work on him at the inn. One of the hunters goes off to summon Hama. Baptiste arrives and ends up being the one to stabilize him with miraculous healing (Dusk powers) | X |
| 7 | Ithica is pulled aside by Baptiste after the chaos. He apologizes for his conduct and explains to her the threat of the Old God. They retreat to her house, Hromgir trusts him. | X |
| 8 | Collin sees the hushed conversation between Ithica and Baptiste and again is beginning to doubt the newcomers’s intention. | X |
| 9 | Garland listens to Hama treating Edmund. Then Jukil summons them and invites them to dinner. Edmund tells Jukil about who Baptiste is and that he is there to kill him. Jukil isn’t convinced that they threats, but obviously acquiesces to his commands. | |
| 12 | Baptiste tells Ithica and Hromgir everything about who he is and why he’s there. He tells them what he knows about “The Ghost of the Mountain.” Hama knocks on the door. She tells them about the Strider Clan in the greater peaks, that they have insight in to the Old God. Hromgir, Ithica, and Baptiste decide to depart in the morning to find the Striders. | |
| 13 | Collin hears everything. He’s unsure how he feels. He decides to go back home. He visits Gerdur and Shelka Morn, notices the girl’s bruises. Collin feels very troubled about it all. | |
| 14 | Next day. Ithica, Hromgir, and Baptiste left. Baptiste had a talk with Armelia, she wishes to stay. She insists everything is fine, even with the Martikov poking around. Ithica notices her garden is consumed by blight. | |
| 15, 16, 17 | Shelka finds the other kids and asks what happened. She’s upset because she missed the knight. She sees Armelia and Ignar again. She follows.The hermit begins a ritual.Shelka watches with captivation as they begin to make love in the barn. She witnesses Armelia lose control and nearly devours him. The Old God speaks to her, urging her to finish the job. Armelia, ashamed runs off. Shelka grips a knife she took from her Ma.Helgi fetches Collin. Everyone is gathered round the barn. “What’s going on?” Shelka is shivering behind a building, gripping a bloody knife. It is unclear whether she killed Ignar or if she cut herself. Armelia confronts her, it’s unclear if she means to harm Shelka. Collin collapses at Ignar’s fallen corpse. Armelia drags Shelka to the square, is confronted by Jukil. She claims Shelka killed Ignar. Edmund demands Armelia is arrested instead. |
Thursday — 1/15 #
This was a hard day to get back in the grove, but I did get in with my minimum goal of 1,000 words. I found yesterday’s slump was gone and waiting until the last hour of my working day incentivized me to do my best.
I’m having doubts about everything in my first draft, but I need to disregard them. The stuff I wrote last rotation is solid and this stuff probably is, too.
Friday — 1/16 #
Slowly, but surely making my way through this part 3. This is where a lot of mid-point questions are coming through. I finally updated the beats list and I think I have a cool climax for the end of the section. I’m also going to rough out how I want Part Four and Part Five to go.
Part Four #
Ithica, Hromgir, and Baptiste travel the tundra. Fend off a blizzard. Yeti fight? Confront the Wolf Clan. They tell the story of the Old God, and explain how he feasts on the souls of the innocent.
Back in town, Shelka is dealing with immense guilt. She knows Armelia did not kill Ignar. It is confirmed that Shelka harmed only herself. People are dying. Corpses showing up. People argue for Armelia’s freedom. Martikov insists that it’s Baptiste, lurking in the shadows.
Shelka leads the children back into the garden. It is full and lush again.
During their stay with the Wolf Clan, Ithica miscarries.
Part Five #
A couple weeks pass as Ithica rebuilds her strength, Baptiste nurses her back to health along the healers. She is in a dark place. Hromgir worries for her as they travel back.
To be allowed to leave the Wolf Clan with their secrets, Hromgir must defeat their leader in combat. He barely succeeds, the leader gives him his sword.
Things are getting bad in the village. Collin is trying to keep the peace. The remaining townsfolk demand that Armelia is killed.
Ithica, Hromgir, and Baptiste arrived just Armelia is about to be burned. Martikov demands Baptiste’s blood. Baptiste challenges him to a duel, using Hromgir’s won sword. During the duel, Martikov transforms into a werewolf for everyone to see.
In the chaos, it has become clear that the Children are missing. Ithica tells them what’s been going on. They form and angry mob and go searching for the Old God.
They confront the Old God, who has corralled the children. Ithica tries to bargain with it to free the village. It will not negotiate. Commence full on boss fight. People are fighting, getting seriously injured. Ithica finds the children and their tethers that keep the Old God anchored to the world. She severs it somehow, destroying the old god and freeing the Village.
Without the Old God, the famine is over. Baptiste and Armelia cannot stay, the cloud cover no longer protects them. Ithica and Hromgir was woefully banished by Collin, who has become the new leader. They leave, and the books closes on Ithica realizing that she’s pregnant in their new home with the Wolf Clan.
Week Five Word Counts #
| Day | Words Written | Chapter |
|---|---|---|
| Sun | Revision | Part 1 |
| Mon | Revision | Part 1, Part 2 |
| Tue | Revision | Part 2, Part 3 |
| Wed | 2801 | P3, C4 (X), C5 (X), C6 (—) |
| Thu | 1007 | P3, C6 (—), C7 (X) |
| Fri | 2414 | P3, C8(X), C9(X), C10 (—) |
| Sat | ||
| Week Five Total: 6,222 |
Week Six #
Monday — 1/19 #
I’m having a hard time getting back in the swing of things. Frankly, I’m a bit intimidated by the project. Honestly, I received pretty awful feedback I’m pretty sure (but not totally sure) was given to goad me into a scam. But it rattled my confidence and I definitely forming a fear around this book.
Now, the great thing about this is that I’ve been through it before. I know it’s unfounded. I know I can trudge through the reluctance.
Just a matter of doing it. So I’m going to stop fretting, and start writing.
| 10 | Garland listens to Hama treating Edmund. Then Jukil summons them and invites them to dinner. Edmund tells Jukil about who Baptiste is and that he is there to kill him. Jukil isn’t convinced that they threats, but obviously acquiesces to his commands. | X |
|---|---|---|
| 11 | Baptiste tells Ithica and Hromgir everything about who he is and why he’s there. He tells them what he knows about “The Ghost of the Mountain.” Hama knocks on the door. She tells them about the Strider Clan in the greater peaks, that they have insight in to the Old God. Hromgir, Ithica, and Baptiste decide to depart in the morning to find the Striders. | X |
| 12 | Collin hears everything. He’s unsure how he feels. He decides to go back home. He visits Gerdur and Shelka Morn, notices the girl’s bruises. Collin feels very troubled about it all. | X |
| 13 | Early morning, before sun rise/ Baptiste talks with Armelia, she wishes to stay. She insists everything is fine, even with the Martikov poking around. | X |
| 14 | Ithica notices her garden is consumed by blight. Prepares to leave. | X |
| 15 | Shelka wanders into the night, knocks on doors to ask other kids what happened. She’s upset because she missed the knight. She sees Armelia and Ignar again. She follows. | |
| 16 | The hermit begins a ritual. Turns Martikov into a werewolf | |
| 17 | Shelka watches with captivation as they begin to make love in the barn. She witnesses Armelia lose control and nearly devours him. The Old God speaks to her, urging her to finish the job. Armelia, ashamed runs off. Shelka grips a knife she took from her Ma. | |
| 18 | Garland wakes, finds the lord Martikov missing. Hear’s the sex happening, assumes its him. | |
| 19 | Helgi wakes Collin after they made love. Shelka is gone. They go missing. Blood curdling scream. | |
| 20 | Shelka is shivering behind a building, gripping a bloody knife. It is unclear whether she killed Ignar or if she cut herself. Armelia confronts her, it’s unclear if she means to harm Shelka. | |
| 21 | The town is roused by the scream, Collin collapses at Ignar’s fallen corpse. | |
| 22 | Viewed from Garland’s perspective, Armelia drags Shelka to the square, is confronted by Jukil. She claims Shelka killed Ignar. Jukil demands Armelia is arrested instead. |
Tuesday — 1/20 #
Not much writing today. Very tired, hard day at work. Taxes. You know. Anyhow, we’re getting through it! On to a fruitful day tomorrow.
Friday — 1/23 #
Decided to cut part three at Ithica’s chapter describing their departure. I think that hopeful note will be a lot more encouraging for readers than the doom and gloom coming to happen. Part three ended up being more of a set up for part four, as all the dramatic climaxes were shifted that way.
Saturday — 1/24 #
Played with some chapter splits, moving away from the scene structure I used for development. This book is shaping up to much longer than I had initially imagined. Upping the goal count to 65,000.
Back to writing tomorrow. Too flustered today, pissed off about something unrelated that got under my skin.
Week Six Word Counts #
| Day | Words Written | Chapter |
|---|---|---|
| Sun | — | — |
| Mon | 2401 | P3, C10(X), C11(—) |
| Tue | 593 | P3, C11(X) |
| Wed | 1061 | P3, C12 (X) |
| Thu | — | — |
| Fri | 1224 | P3, C13(X), C14(X) |
| Sat | — | — |
| Week Six Total: 5,279 |
Week Seven #
Sunday — 1/25 #
I’m always changing my mind about stuff as I go. That’s okay. Below is the adjusted plant for Part Four and yet another beat sheet since a lot of of drama originally planned for part three was moved into part four.
Part Four Plan #
Ithica, Hromgir, and Baptiste travel the tundra. Fend off a blizzard. Yeti fight? Ithica begins to struggle with pain in her abdomen, spotting blood. She is hearing the old god speak, who is trying to convince her to turn back. “Without you, all will perish.” It begins to threaten her child.
Shelka escapes home, gains information from children who express concern for her. She is no longer interested in leading.
Hermit begins his ritual, which will transform Martikov into a wolf.
Shelka watches Armelia and Ignar. Begin Ignar’s death sequence.
Armelia is apprehended and put into captivity. We’re a go for time skipping.
They tell the story of the Old God, and explain how he feasts on the souls of the innocent.
A couple weeks go by, confrontation with the Wolf Clan. Hromgir must duel the chieftain to gain their respect. Once he wins, barely, the chieftain gives him a legendary sword, which will come back up.
Back in town, Shelka is dealing with immense guilt. She knows Armelia did not kill Ignar. It is confirmed that Shelka harmed only herself. People are dying. Corpses showing up. People argue for Armelia’s freedom. Martikov insists that it’s Baptiste, lurking in the shadows.
Shelka leads the children back into the garden to plan Armelia’s escape. It is full and lush again.
The night before departing form the wolf clan, and having gained information that will lead to the Old God’s downfall, Ithica suffers a miscarriage. In part five, they will encounter the statue to Bridget and it will be an emotional moment.
Part Four Beat Sheet #
| Beat | Description | Done? |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Overland Travel, blizzard is coming. They are being stalked by some creature. Tension building | |
| 2 | Shelka wanders into the night, knocks on doors to ask other kids what happened. She’s upset because she missed the knight. She sees Armelia and Ignar again. She follows. | |
| 3 | The hermit begins a ritual. Turns Martikov into a werewolf | |
| 4 | Shelka watches with captivation as they begin to make love in the barn. She witnesses Armelia lose control and nearly devours him. The Old God speaks to her, urging her to finish the job. Armelia, ashamed runs off. Shelka grips a knife she took from her Ma. | |
| 5 | Garland wakes, finds the lord Martikov missing. Hear’s the sex happening, assumes its him. | |
| 6 | Helgi wakes Collin after they made love. Shelka is gone. They go missing. Blood curdling scream. | |
| 7 | Shelka is shivering behind a building, gripping a bloody knife. It is unclear whether she killed Ignar or if she cut herself. Armelia confronts her, it’s unclear if she means to harm Shelka. | |
| 8 | The town is roused by the scream, Collin collapses at Ignar’s fallen corpse. | |
| 9 | Viewed from Garland’s perspective, Armelia drags Shelka to the square, is confronted by Jukil. She claims Shelka killed Ignar. Jukil demands Armelia is arrested instead. | |
| 10 | More travel, time passes, yeti fight | |
| 11 | Confrontation with the cheiftain, duel | |
| 12 | Back to town, it is a mess and people are suffering. Armelia is imprisoned and awaiting trial. Shelka talks with fellow children about the situation. Martikov is clearly a villain. | |
| 13 | Garland seeks out Collin, who seems to be the only reasonable person in power. He tries to convince him that its Martikov who is killing people. | |
| 14 | Wolf Clan tells them about old god. | |
| 15 | Hermit disussing the role of children with the old god. Loyalty fragments | |
| 16 | Shelka gathers with the children in a LUSH garden and plot to first, feed the town, and second to bust out Armelia. Collin, Gerdur, and Garland show up—they agree to help take back the town. | |
| 17 | Tragic Ithica scene. Very tired of typing out the word. |