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Finished the first draft of Chapter 3!!!!! π
🕑 Added 2025-03-15 19:30:12 +0000 UTC186 notebook pages, and finally, it is over. I am... tired, but so very happy. I love it. I really, really do π. The last part of the chapter can be divided into 3 major scenes. The first is 69 pages long, the second is 110 pages long, and the third is only 6 pages.
When I finished the first scene, I thought it'd be my favorite, but then, the second came around and said "no," and then came the third, and I think I love it best of all. π
The second one was the hardest because the characters kept pulling me in different directions than I had planned. Rafael was the first. He was going so smoothly, but then, towards the end of his section, it just... didn't fit right. I crossed out 3 pages and tried again. Better, but... still not Raf, still not how he would speak and react.
I went to sleep and wrote that part for a third time, and I got it. I love it π.
Lance, my handsome bard, made me reconsider what I wanted as well. It wasn't as dramatic as Rafael's, but I realized that a conversation I had planned would fit SO MUCH better in the next chapter instead. And so, this last scene with him was unexpected, but it's so much more Lance than in my planner. It also paces the friendship/romance a lot better, so again, I was extremely happy with the result.
And, then, Hadrian. Hadrian didn't fight me, but he took my hand and said, not enough. As I was writing his scene, he kept pulling me down a path I didn't plan to get into just yet. But the more I struggled against it, the more I realized how pointless it was. It's just right for his romance, and for his character, and, most importantly, for Romanus. I gave in, and what was already a lengthy scene turned into an 18-page odyssey. I read it 3 times after it was over. π₯Ί I adore him. I adore how he adores Romanus.
I was very fatigued by then, so I didn't write Thursday before pouring into Alessa. I didn't want to rush her scenes or, worse yet, force her into a mold that wasn't her. The paused day was just what I needed. Iβ love it so much πππ I fell a little bit in love with my cold mercenary. She surprised me the most, but I won't say how because I want you to experience her for yourselves.
I'm so nervous for you guys to play it!!! π«£ But I also can't wait. I wished I could snap my fingers and have it done.
But, such isn't life. We'll have to go through the trenches. As I said before, I wrote a lot of the significant variations in this first draft (towards the end of scene 2, there are a lot of variations that I didn't write, but all of them are much shorter than the ones I wrote), so I want the second draft to fly by!!!
First, however, I want to work on the Bonus Content. It's a welcomed change of pace. My head is still slightly spinning, honestly. The first draft is, by far, the one that requires the hardest mental strain because that's where I figure out how to structure the scenes, what will be the major things said, what is left unsaid, what works, what has to be reworked, what makes sense, and what doesn't... It's, by far, my favorite part of creating, but I always feel like I need a vacation after π.
So, the Bonus Content will be a good change of pace for a few days. I'll start on Monday! Tomorrow, I need to take my mind off the Rose. The goal for next week is to finish all the Patreon content and focus 1000% on bringing these pages to you.
I hope your weekend is going amazing. I have a dog's cold snout pressing on my thigh, requesting me to take him for a walk, so, alas, I must listen. This is, after all, Nero's world, and I am just living in it.
See you soon!!! πΉ
Comments
Marti (Lys)
I love how clearly you can see the passion you put into what you write. I just love to see it. So proud of you Ana. And I canβt wait for ch 3 ππ Canβt wait to see my Hadrian and Lance β€οΈ
aesthellar
Yess! It's always so exciting to have physical signifiers of progress
river
I'm so exited for chapter 3!! I miss Romanus the most out of all the characters to be honest every update feels like seeing an old friend again
Anathema
Thank you! I'm so excited for it π
Anathema
I can take a picture if you'd like! For Book One I went through 10 notebooks. So far, Book Two is at the end of its 4th^^
mila (yugocar)
π oh man im already freaking out about everything we have ahead of us with all of these wonderful characters. love the little insights into the writing process you went through with each of them. great news ana and take your rest β€οΈ
Lauriane
So glad you're happy with what you wrote π it's very rewarding when one's able to take pride in their work, I think it's very important to keep cultivating that! So excited to discover what you've come up with :D
shrek4ever
Im so excited to play this chapter, with each update about it, you sound more and more thrilled about it!
Rue
I am so hyped to get to play these scenes out when it's all coded and ready to go! I feel it in my bones, this next update is gonna be peak fiction and we're *still* not even at the ball yet!
Rachel Stone
Congrats on all the hard work! Excitedly waiting for Neia to remake her introduction.β¨οΈ
Zo
Youβre incredible! Thank you, canβt wait to read it!
aesthellar
One of these days, I'd love to see how many notebooks you've gone through. It always gives me so much satisfaction when I see how many pages I fill in mine, let alone several whole books.
nico
Take that deserved time off for a bit, Ana, you really work too hard to spoil us all π€
