Rough Reading
I finally have a draft of Rhean!
Hey! When was the last time you wrote something?
Not a little note and more than a message—I’m talking about a proper text entry into a document. I mean something more along the lines of a long-form essay or a report for work (or school).
I don’t expect everyone to know quite what it’s like to finish the last words of a new novel, but I do think there are many who can appreciate seeing a lot of writing come together as a completed idea.
So, let’s share that feeling and celebrate the rough draft of Rhean!
Over 95,000 Words
I have been far from shy about how slow progress felt for this new story. I was dragging my fingers along and taking my time, waiting for the right motivation. No matter how I twisted that into a positive, it definitely didn’t feel the best to be moving at a pace I thought was inadequate.
It was a lucky strike of inspiration last week that kicked me into a higher gear. I ended up working through the last half of the book much, much faster in a bit of a crazed state of disrepair.
The result being a rough draft of Rhean at a little over 95,000 words!
As expected, I overshot the 70k estimate, and I would imagine as people read through my mess of typos and errors, that number will grow to patch in fixes for at least some of the mistakes.
Having said that, I’ve put the draft up on google docs and am open to anyone and everyone reading it:
I have it set so only people who receive an invitation can leave comments and you’ll see there already are some.
If you would like to be added to that exclusive list, let me know and I’ll be happy to read yours as well!
Otherwise, feel free to tell me what you think privately, if you prefer that.
And if you like to get your information in very short video format:
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Who is Rhean?
I also think it’s a good time to give a quick breakdown of the story. I’ve been rather secretive about the plot for reasons I don’t really understand.
I was worryied about how a preemptive description would lead to inevitable disappointment if the idea evolved in new directions.
Regardless of my own neurosis, Rhean is an adventure story set in the world of Maneus.
The style, however, is completely removed from the cumbersome epic format of the first book. This one is instead a first-person narrative set before any of the events of Maneus.
Rhean then explores much of the lore behind the more mysterious aspects of the chaos, while simultaneously using a more traditional story structure.
That is to say, Rhean follows the titular character as she goes on a journey across the continent. Through her trials and tribulations, the world and its magic is revealed.
As a part of that easier-to-follow idea, the plot revolves around how and why Rhean will find and reforge her massive sword, Nox Aeterna. Prior to the events of the book, the sword is split into six fragments across major cities and towns and mountains.
Her mission is thus clearly outlined and even written out on the map at the beginning of the book!
Rhean herself though is something of an enigma. She is a sister to the elusive Aubir we meet in Maneus—although there is some doubt to how much meaning familial terms hold for divine creatures.
So, perhaps it’s better to say she’s an angel or a demon—in either case, she’s a powerful servant to the old god Dwolmarik.
Sinful Retribution
An interesting footnote to what became Rhean is how one of the only vestiges of the original concept is in the chapter titles. Most are named after either a cardinal sin or a cardinal virtue. The content is then somewhat themed around those—although that can be a loose fit at times.
My general rule was that whenever Rhean reforges Nox Aeterna, the chapter should be a cardinal virtue. The rest of the sins were more free to be sprinkled around as she meets new characters and visits new locations.
There are a few others that I’ve added, but I like how they all feel together.
So in the end, whether it’s a forgotten fragment or a nice homage, the countless biblical references and that surreal office are somewhat represented—even if the scraps of that story have yet to see the light of day.
No matter the exact reason, it made for some interesting guidelines as I wrote Rhean’s adventure across the continent.
And remember, if you want to check it out, here is a link to the rough draft of Rhean.
Until next time.
Cheers,
JMB