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Journal housing all my assignments for OctoPrep 2025 |
| Let's see where we go! |
| Assignment #31 Oct. 31: - Plot: Premise Revision Now that you have spent a month planning your novel, revise your initial premise. Identify the following: (1) Setting(s). Where does your story take place? (2) Protagonist(s). Who is(are) your main character(s)? (2b) Flaw(s). What is(are) the protagonist's major flaw(s)? (2c) Goal(s). What does(d) the protagonist(s) want (or want to avoid)? (3) Conflict(s). What's keeping them from their goal(s)? (4) Antagonist(s). Who or what is creating the conflict(s)? (5) Resolution. How does it all turn out in the end? (6) Theme: What is the theme or moral of the story? (7) Outline: Update your outline as needed. Setting: Shimmerwood > Castle, Lady Althena's House, Beresboia Forest, Bearglen, Holombsia, Edgespell, Vala Range > River Passea Protagonists: Adelaide de Caelkirk, Dane Ravizac Flaws: Adelaide: Feeling overconfident, covering for insecurities about failing and being a disappointment. Her singular focus on her mission and not being socially confident, causes her to hesitate in making decisions. Dane: Untrusting, stubborn, stuck in his ways, which causes him to struggle in adapting to deal with people who deal with things differently than him. Goals: Adelaide: Saving the world. Dane: Also saving the world, though not realizing that it is his powers that are what is needed. Though, he needs Adelaide to do it. Conflicts: They begin to intertwine to where the conflict becomes bigger than they realized. That the big bad they're expected to confront, is really only a distraction, as is the one they believe to be after that. Though they are pieces of the puzzle that makes them realize that they were testers, feelers, of the larger issue. Which is that another realm, that runs parallel to Klesosia or Earth, but that has ruined their own and wants to take Klesosia for it's own. Antagonists: Amahle (also Mahaela) Resolution: The resolution to the main story will continue in the next books. The resolution in this book is that Adelaide isn't the Chosen. Theme: The overall theme, is the rebirth theme. While it can apply to Adelaide, it definitely applies to Rowan. I think the journey definitely helps with the path to rebirth, but I think the choices that she makes, especially towards the end, makes Rowan become a different person. She starts with a lot of self doubts about herself, both physically and mentally. She's trying to start to change, when she's tossed into a new world with a huge expectation of her. She's afraid of what is expected of her, because she doesn't think she's able to do it. By the end, because of the choices she makes, the battles she overcomes, she becomes a lot more confident in herself, in her decisions, becomes almost a leader to those who are with her on her journey. She is even willing to sacrifice herself (a misunderstanding of something she feels will happen by the choice she makes) for the greater good, to make sure that "good" wins. |
| Assignment #30 "Oct. 30 - "Market Definition and Narrative Voice Synopsis:" "General: Market Definition and Narrative Voice Synopsis" (1) Identify your story type from this list of story types or define it with your own nomenclature. (2) Describe your target audience. Identify a demographic profile of your ideal reader (try using your character profile template!) Explain in detail what aspects of your novel will appeal to this particular audience and why. Please read this blog post to understand the importance of marketing, and why targeting ""mass appeal"" or ""all readers"" isn't good enough: "Building Your Brand" (3) Write a synopsis of your novel using the same narrative voice you will use to tell the story. Identify and pay attention to the tone of your narration. Is it formal or informal? Is it witty? Dark? Sarcastic? Whimsical? Is it optimistic or pessimistic? Make a deliberate choice about the tone of your writing so you can stay consistent when you launch into writing your novel. The tone should be appropriate for your target audience. (1) Fantasy, slight Romantasy. (2) My target audience would be women ages 25-40. Being within that age bracket myself and being in book groups on social media, those are a huge section of people who read. Also a huge part of Booktok. It is beneficial to me because even though I've had this story idea for going on ten years, Fantasy (Romantasy even more so) has become popular within that demographic. It's also incredibly diverse (which Fantasy in general is) as far as how creative you can get within that genre. I think having the slight Romantasy is an edge in that direction. I also think the fact that having a false protagonist in the first book, which the male protagonist begins to have feelings for and then her twin sister becoming the main female protagonist and the conflict that will create with the male protagonist and their subsequent relationship (budding...developing...enemies to lovers) will be popular with them. I also want to create good and relatable characters, who are complex and show depth. While there are readers who don't necessarily require that, there are a lot of women who enjoy it. I see a lot of that in the book groups I'm apart of where sometimes that's where a book comes together or falls apart for them. (3) A prophecy. A Chosen. A young woman who has trained her whole life to save the world finally gets the notice. Sent upon an adventure that causes her to learn more about herself, the world, and the people in it, she also learns how complex and complicated the problem she needs to fix. A missing noble woman. A fissure in reality. A long lost magic ability simply called "The Lost Magics of Dominique". A man with secret magic. What do they all mean in the large scale of things? How do they help? Is all of the training helpful? |
| Assignment #29 "Oct. 29 - "Outline Revision #3:" "Plot: Outline Revision #3" (1) Review your plot elements thus far and organize them into your outline. (2) Fill in any gaps in your outline template and/or flesh out more details.  The time has come for Adelaide to begin her journey. She is brought to Lady Althena's home where everything is fully explained to her. After being brought up to speed, she is to go see Lady Althena's son, Dane. It is here she is introduced to him and understands that Lady Althena isn't the witch, her son is and that she has been covering for him. Adelaide's friend, Mihaela Roxana, finds out that the time has finally come for Adelaide's journey and that she wants to join her. She has her bow and arrow. Heading towards the Vala Range, their first stop is in a small town outside of the Caelkirk Kingdom, called Bearglen. The next day when they prepare to leave, they meet Muriel Iyana, a fai or elemental summoner. They make a stop at a religious village, Edgespell. They meet with the priests there and a small group of Paladins who are there to protect the priests and the village. They talk with one specifically, Gideon Amari, who is feeling doubt about his place and joins Adelaide. After making a small camp in a thicket, they are attacked by a small group of beasts. Come to realize that Adelaide's childhood friend, Mihaela had a hand in it. She is killed. Adelaide is taken and the crew goes after to find her. They find the camp where the beasts and others came from. They rescue Adelaide. As they come up on on the Vala Range, they discuss what is to happen and how Adelaide must maneuver River Passea. Muriel Iyana finds out that she has Orophobia when the Vala mountains come into view. She was unaware she has this phobia. The night before they head to River Passea, Adelaide has a panic attack. Adelaide enters River Passea, meets with Nadite and is told of three challenges she must win to reach the entrance to Vala. Adelaide fails the second challenge. Nadite shakes her head and uses her power to expel Adelaide from the river. While Adelaide is still alive, she soon dies shortly after. The group brings her body back to Shimmerwood. Lady Althena mentions that while she was wrong, she just picked the wrong one. Mentions that Adelaide was a twin and that her sister was put in a safe place. Plans are made to bring her twin to their realm. |
| Assignment #28 "Oct. 28 - "Minor Character Profiles:" "Character: Minor Character Profiles" (1) Expand or add profiles for one or more minor characters. (2) Spend some time updating your character list with new information, images, etc.  Muriel Iyana My whole life I've been trying to prove myself. Prove to those who look at me and think there's nothing to me. A girl raised by her father, who happens to be a trader who runs a farm to raise animals for meat and leather. Nothing very feminine about it. It wasn't until I was ten, when I began to show natural magical abilities called fai's. My father would've rubbed it off, some people are born with fai abilities, but most just have very basic abilities. I don't. I was straight across the board with my elemental fai. Fire, ice, wind, water, earth. Not just a touch either, I can rage a ball of flame, conjure a wall of water from a pond, bring forth a quake in the earth, and shove a wind storm in any direction at any thing I want. I tried to suppress it, because I could do all of these things but it was hard to control and any direction didn't necessarily mean that was where I wanted it to go that way. My father finally brought me in front of the judgement counsel of Hargflait School of Magic, where I performed for them my fai abilities. I was admitted the same day and didn't leave with my father. For the last fifteen years, I trained there. I learned and I honed my abilities. I can control my fai to the point where I could live with someone and never know I possessed them. Now, I am free. I feel like I can take on the world, but I must return to my father's farm. I need to show him what I've learned, how I've grown. Prove to him that I am a woman who in charge of her destiny, in charge of herself. If I can prove to him that I have grown, then I can prove the world. |
| Assignment #27 "Oct. 27 - "Protagonist Interview:" "Character: Protagonist Interview" You are a journalist. The story of your novel is complete. Interview your protagonist and ask the following questions: (1) How is life for you now, compared to life prior to these events? (2) How did the events of your story change you? (1) How is life for you now, compared to life prior to these events? Life is nonexistent for me. I thought I was the Chosen and I was not. My sister is the Chosen. I think deep down in my guts I knew that, but I had been trained, mentally and physically since I was a kid for this moment. Unfortunately, I was rejected. (2) How did the events of your story change you? I learned a lot about myself. Right up to the end. I realized I was more than just The Chosen. I learned that I could be liked and desired for being something other than that. I got to see how big the world is, how much bigger than the castle or Shimmerwood it is. I got to see how difficult life is for everyone in different ways. I grew up more in those few weeks than I did before that. Even with it ending the way it did, I'd never change a thing for it. |
| Assignment #25 "Oct. 25 - "CONTEST ROUND: Plot Background Story:" "Plot: CONTEST ROUND: Plot Background Story" Write a story that sets up your plot. EXAMPLE: The Lord of the Rings story revolves around the One Ring, its significance, and how it's destroyed. But how did Frodo get the One Ring in the first place? We learn that in The Hobbit. You obviously can't write a full-scale novel in 15 minutes, but you could write the scene where Bilbo encounters Gollum and stumbles across the ring. That would be a background story that sets up the plot in Lord of the Rings. Lady Althena heard the front door open, she looked at the clock. Thirty after seven. She walked out of the kitchen towards the front door. As the midwife of Shimmerwood, her home had regular hours, but as babies never had regular hours, sometimes deliveries would come afterward. It had been a slow day, but wondered if the night would be a little more interesting. As she turned the corner, "Can I help y—" "Lady Althena!" The woman, who seemed to be all belly, reached out for her. "My water broke!" "Oh Miss Mariam, please this way." She led her into the room she devoted to her work. A large bed was on the right, the head of it pressed against the middle of the left wall. An exam table was pressed against the right wall. Lady Althena led her to the bed, pulling the blankets all the way off the end of the bed. She grabbed some thick towels, set some aside and took the others to the bed and laid them beneath Mariam's bottom. "Oh, it hurts." Mariam moaned, her hands on her large belly. She was expecting twins, girls. "Would you like any medication?" She asked as she went over to the messaging system on the wall and sent off a message to her assistant, Nila. "Yes. Oh yes please." It was Mariam's first pregnancy. She was young and she had been in love. According to Mariam through her appointments over the last months, she thought he was the one for her. It was why she'd given herself to him. It wasn't to be the case though as the relationship completely fell apart when she informed him of the pregnancy. She was scared at the normal first mom things, but also scared at being a twin mom on her first time around. Already had names picked out for the girls. Rowan Parisa and Adelaide Deilea. Beautiful names, Lady Althena had thought. Lady Althena had removed her robe and put her long and curly dark brown hair back into a low ponytail. She wished she'd had time to let her son know what was happening, but for such a young boy, he was incredibly intuitive and understanding. He knew what she did for a living and understood the sounds labor made. So she didn't worry as she grabbed an injection needle and filled it with what many expectant mothers called simply, the Soothing Serum. It didn't take long to take effect. Mariam relaxed as Lady Althena rested a hand upon her belly. Even though she could see the belly contract, she liked to feel them too. They were about five minutes apart. Moving quickly. "Looks like you aren't going to have to wait long at all, Mariam!" How she felt for the women who had long and arduous labors. It was a joy when a woman could have a relatively quick labor. "Oh, I can't wait to see them! Adelaide will be first. Adelaide Deilea. Deilea was my mother's name, you know? I was very close with her." "What a beautiful way to honor your mother." Lady Althena got some ice in a glass and some extra pillows. "Parisa was my sister, my older sister. She died when I was little. Some type of infection that spread quickly and thoroughly. I've since lost my mother a few years ago. It's a way to honor them and keep a piece of them alive. As they grow older, I can share more pieces with them." She sat down in the stuffed chair next to the bed and took Mariam's hand. "That is wonderful, Mariam. I did something similar with my son. I had an older brother, Vihaan. An old family name that goes far back in the Albifort family. He passed after falling out of an old tree in the backyard. Same old tree many Albifort children climbed and played on for centuries. Vihaan just fell and landed wrong. My father cut down that old tree, then burnt it, then salted it. When I had my son, it came naturally to me, Dane Vihann Ravizac." Mariam smiled softly. "Family is what makes us, huh Lady Althena?" "Indeed Mariam. Indeed." She stood and put her hand on her belly. Mariam was wearing a nightgown, the bottom hem discolored. Reminded her that she'd need to pull one from the closet, that she kept for instances like this. "Oh, looks like she's almost ready. I'm going to help push your legs up, okay? Going to get you into position! My assistant should be here soon to help." Instead, things seemed to progress much faster than Lady Althena projected. "Push Mariam, push! Baby number 1 is coming!" Soon the baby's head crowned. "Push now, Mariam! Baby #1 is almost out! I see the head!" Out came the baby, all fists and screams. "Oh Mariam! She's got a good set of lungs on her!" She looked at the clock on the wall. "Three after eight." "Oh Adelaide Deilea." Her voice was whispy and tired, but happy. Lady Althena grabbed one of the towels and began to wipe the baby's face, checking her mouth for any debris. She laid her on one of the medical baby beds that had been pushed by the wall then hurried back over to the bed. Within a few minutes, Mariam began pushing again. "Alright Mariam, let's push for the last time okay?" Finally, the second baby crowned. "Okay Mariam sweetie, final push, give me everything you have!" Out came the second girl, Rowan Parisa. She gave a good cry, but seemed to settle down and looked right up at Lady Althena. She looked up, noted the time, "Eight after eight." Then as she reached for the second towel, she noticed the sky, which caused her to stop dead in her tracks. "Oh. Oh." The Prophecy flooded her mind immediately. The sky was a deep red. "...Mariam are you seeing this?" She carried Rowan with her to the front door and looked up at the sky. It was the deepest, royal of reds that she had ever seen. She hurried back into the room. "Mariam?" It was then she noticed that Mariam had been silent. Eerily so. |
| Assignment #24 "Oct. 24 - "Literary Devices:" "Plot: Literary Devices" (1) Brainstorm possible solutions to your conflict and complications using the list of literary devices below or your own ideas. (2) Identify a mentor or helper who aids the protagonist(s) in achieving their goals. (3) Identify any other literary devices from the list you could use to enhance your writing. Literary Devices List  Foreshadowing: Hints of something to come. Chekhov's Gun: The gun on the wall in Scene 1 is eventually fired. Repetitive Designation: An object or fact appears over and over. Symbolism: Small facts, objects, or characterizations represent something bigger. Self-fulfilling prophecy: Protagonist attempts to thwart prophecy but in attempting, fulfills it. Poetic Justice: Good guys are rewarded and bad guys are punished. Plot Twist: Surprises the reader with something unexpected. False Protagonist: The protagonist dies or turns out to be something other than the protagonist. Red Herring: A false trail diverts the reader's attention from what really happened. Unreliable Narrator: The narrator has been misleading the reader all along. Irony: The exact opposite of what the reader expects happens. Reveal: A hidden connection between characters or facts is revealed in time. Plot Device: Advances the plot forward, often pushing the main character past a hurdle. Object of Power: Either the protagonist wants it, or the object drives the plot of its own accord. MacGuffin: Something the protagonist wants for unknown and unimportant reasons. Quibble: Following the letter of the law, contract, or agreement instead of its intent, changing the outcome. Narrative Hook: Story opening that grab's the reader's attention. Cliffhanger: Ending a scene, chapter or story in the middle of action, hooking the reader. Ticking Clock Scenario: The threat of impending doom if the protagonist's objective is not met. Breaking the Fourth Wall: A character speaks directly to the reader. Or anything from this list: http://literary-devices.com/(1) False Protagonist is the literary device in this story. We get to the end to find out that Adelaide isn't the Chosen, that everything was for nothing when she dies trying to get the magic she needed. (2) Aside from Dane, and maybe Mihaela, there is Muriel and Gideon who have joined with Adelaide to help her on her journey. (3) Cliff Hanger will be used at the end, to ready for book 2, when we find out that Adelaide was a twin and it must be that her twin is the Chosen. |
| Assignment #23 "Oct. 23 - "Complications:" "Plot: Complications" Complications. Identify additional things that could go wrong for your protagonist. You are not required to resolve any problems yet, just create them. Remember: The more hardships your main character faces, the more readers will cheer them on, and the more engaged and invested the reader will be in your story. Brainstorm a list of problems you could throw at your protagonist(s) throughout the story, using ""What If,"" mind mapping (see the resources at the bottom of the calendar), freestyle writing, or any other form of brainstorming you prefer. Hint: Other characters are a great source of realistic strife, since characters often are driven by conflicting motivations.  Muriel Iyana finds out that she has Orophobia when the Vala mountains come into range. A night that they've stopped, they hang out at a bar that night and get drunk. Find out that Gideon isn't exactly as he says. Adelaide is taken during the night. The crew must find her. Adelaide's confidence takes a nose dive, afraid of disappointing her parents, the world, her companions. The night before they're to make it to River Passea, Adelaide has a panic attack. |
| Assignment #22 "Oct. 22 - "Rising Action (How does the story get to the climax?):" "Plot: Rising Action (How does the story get to the climax?) "Review your notes from the ""Premise"" and ""Beginning"" plot exercises, and tweak the conflict(s) and inciting incident as needed before proceeding with the "Rising Action" plot exercise, as follows: (1) Describe any initial refusals on the part of your protagonist(s) to face the conflict. (2) Describe the moment when your protagonist(s) makes the choice to face the conflict. (3) Describe the moment when your protagonist(s) crosses the point of no return and cannot change their mind. (4) Fill in some of the blanks: How will your characters get from the point of no return to the climax? (1) Dane, while told it would be something he'd be forced to do, he doesn't believe in the prophecy. It's hard for him to deal with the paraphysical, when everything he does is what he can see and feel. But regardless of what he feels, he promised his mother. (2) I don't think Adelaide ever thought of not doing it. It became who she was, why she was. So when Lady Althena called for her and her mother to come, she never second guessed it. She had a duty to fulfill. Almost elated that it's time for all of the training to be put to good use. She also learns more of what is behind the prophecy. (3) They're attacked by a group of small beasts in a thicket, they come to realize that Adelaide's friend and companion, Mihaela Roxana, had a part in it and is killed. It is this point where Adelaide (and Dane for that matter) realize that the prophecy is for real. (4) It's from that point that they head to where they've been planning since the beginning, with a fervor they didn't have before. She learns about the River Passea and how she must pass since she isn't dead. It's such a big moment because it's the last big hurdle before she moves on to do what she had been training for. What her whole life had built up to. |
| Assignment #21 "Oct. 21 - "Freestyle Brainstorm, World Building or Research, Round 2:" "General: Freestyle Brainstorm, World Building or Research, Round 2" (1) Spend at least fifteen minutes clarifying things through ""What If"" brainstorming, mind mapping (see resources at the bottom of the calendar), freestyle writing, lists, drawings or research. You may also choose to use this time to finish a previous assignment that needs more time. (2) Update your characters, definitions and settings lists as needed. List of Gods Uikhi  Ota: Goddess who Gave Life/Light Onteus: God of All Else/Underworld/Night Maara: Goddess of Fertility and Harvest Azotz: God of Water and Storms Unja: Goddess of Marriage, women, and family Uthys: Goddess of Healing Cetar: God of War and Men Phetia: Goddess of the Hunt Oella: Goddess of Love, virginity, and beauty Brigyn: Goddess of Wisdom/Philosophy/Thought and Crafts and twin sister of Aesis Aesis: God of Fire/Volcanos and Forge and twin brother to BrigynTheir Children  Dorus: God of Pleasure/Fun/Insanity Amla: Goddess of the Spirit World/Daughter of Onteus Iphene: Goddess of Plague and Disease/Daughter of Onteus Nadite: The Ferrywoman of Vala/Daughter of Onteus Bysara: Goddess/Mistress of Animals/Beasts Qrenja: Goddess of Fate - Birth/Babies Qeone: Goddess of Fate - Suffering Qusaris: Goddess of Fate - Death Zomos: God of Oaths and Promises Cidite: God of Tricks, Chaos, LuckInir Aagi: God of Winter/Cold/Death Domagi: Goddess of Spring/Fertility/Birth/Harvest Eagi: God of Fire/War/Destiny Xeagi: God of Water/Storms/Fate Khegagi: Goddess of Wisdom/Marriage/Seasons Caagi: Goddess of Plague/Disease/Healing Chysagi: God of Vengeance/Wrath/False Oaths/Strength Uagi: Goddess of Love/Lust/Pleasure/Beauty Sheagi: Goddess of Hunt/Justice/Protection Okagi: God of Prophecy |
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