Project 30 Challenge day 8
Progress report
Yay, look at me, I’ve made it to week two :) I just have to not think about how slowly I’m writing, and everything will be fine :’)
I wrote for about 15 minutes today, getting started on chapter two. I’m not actually a fan of writing with chapters, it doesn’t feel natural to me yet, but I have to practice anyway, and the breaking point did feel natural. One thing I’ve done that’s a bit different than I’ve done before is in order to get over my perfectionism with first lines, I’ve basically skipped the first line, writing [Awesome first line] and [Epic staring line] instead. This gave my brain permission to not fuss or fiddle with the start and get right to the scene. So far it’s worked great, so I might add it to my toolbox.
Factoid
Today’s factoid is going to be about structure rather than elements of the story.
The opening chapter is all about setting up the status quo for Roselia, basically by destroying her previous status quo with the attack on the ship. So starting in chapter two, she’s in this new situation where she has to figure out what’s going on and work on a tangible goal related to that new status quo (find a way home). Then, at the 10% mark she’s going to discover something that could threaten her goal, and she has to decide what to do about it. This will lead to the 20% mark where she will actually take the step she cannot walk back from and turning the somewhat normal status quo she’s been in into a whole new situation that she has no experience with. This is the point where she will meet/find her foil character and where the story will tick over into act 2.
Inspiration – Lights
I live in the historic downtown of a very small town, and at sunset, or thereabouts, pretty globe streetlights turn on. Today I took my walk a little earlier (so I can go to bed earlier), and I was almost home, with the sky darkening and the streets getting dim, when the lights came on. It was a beautiful moment, the sudden illumination making me realize just how dark it had gotten, and it set the streets aglow. It reminded me of a favorite Chinese drama called Love of the Divine Tree, which I wrote very briefly about in my 2025 Recap. In the drama, the main character goes through most of his life feeling unwanted and unwelcome, making him resentful. There’s one scene, still somewhat early in the 40-episode show, where he has come back to the place he’s staying at and has an emotional moment when all the lights turn on to welcome him home. He’s still prickly, but this is a turning point for him on the road to learning that he is wanted and welcome.
I’m not sure it will work with this project, and I feel like the foil character is getting all the brainstorming and delicious character development, but I really like the idea that something as small as turning the lights on can change everything. I’ll keep it in my back pocket while I’m building up Roselia’s arc through the story.
Thoughts to share? I have a contact page now!