Novel One Outlined (And why it took so long)

*An ornate relic of the Twilight Orthodoxy signifying the twin dragon Gods Ultima & Gaia that watch over the world.

Madlings, did you miss me? Probably not; most of you speak to me almost daily. However, I have been relatively tight-lipped about things over the last few months. This is a multi-tiered problem I touched on in the June Update.

Summer has been super busy. Since May, many life-altering events have been happening simultaneously: ending my marriage, Starting a new relationship, Leaving my former location, Making a plan to live somewhere I never believed I would, raising three kids, and dealing with their stuff through it all. Madlings, it has been a very chaotic summer, and I apologize for the lack of progress in our little world here.

I love my current partner, and I pray she knows how much. Shy is fantastic, but she has begun to see how the Madhouse affects me, which takes adjusting to. There was one moment when I shut down in the Madhouse, and she needed me. I failed, and the Madhouse soon warped into something I couldn't battle; I shut down. Then, the isolation started, which was reinforced, not out of spite or anything negative, but a desire to be together. We are both our unique shade of crazy, and together, we were unknowingly feeding into our trauma.

The question from my failure that was eating at both our brains was, "Why?" At that moment, I didn't have an answer. The Madhouse fed on the fear of the question and suffocated everything. It took me a few weeks to understand, but the answer was staring me right in the face with every disagreement. Whenever we had a different opinion, we felt unappreciated, invisible, or upset about something. We would discuss (sometimes vigorously) what was happening and how we felt. Neither of us walked away. We sat, listened, and adjusted what needed to be done. We worked together in a stressful situation to compromise and fix the problem however we could. I had been so conditioned in life to be worthless and shut everything down that I didn't see a healthy relationship while living it.

Madlings, I told Shy that my ex-wife didn't read most of this, so it was easier to write it all out, which is true. Shy has been the site's review editor for a while, so she reads everything I write first. I allowed that thought to shut down my process because I didn't want to write about Shy, but to write, I needed peace with the Madhouse, and I promised when I started this site to be transparent about the mental illness of the Madhouse. This cycle locked me in place for months and made me believe the writing was pointless.

Shy wouldn't let that stand and kept asking, nudging, and prodding about my writing. Others started asking and commenting on the website, and I love you all very much, but I had nothing in my brain then. I get so lost in hating myself that I forget that others enjoy it here and support me. Between everything personal, raising the children, we now have five through the summer, not just disappearing from the guild and all the preparations to move. I was stressed and overanalyzing everything; the Madhouse won its battle for a while not to be seen, and thus, Maiden was isolated.

I could end it here, "GG Maiden sucks. We are not surprised." but…. that would be boring. Madlings, even when I am busy, overwhelmed, and shut down, I always live here in the Madhouse. With the depressing lore dump done, let's talk about the light that fuels this mighty shadow. Madlings, I think I am shut down because, in secret, I have been hard at work on a few things. With the school year about to start and the move coming up in a few weeks, I will soon have an influx of time to focus on the writing.

Over the last few weeks, I have been thinking about the plan. I have 30+ characters, around 40 key locations, and lore behind each that sprawls out to more entries anytime I find the mentality to focus on the writing and world. These are rough pieces of a growing puzzle, and I need to find their place and purpose. I have filled the world with personality and mystical locations… so what story am I telling?

Madlings, I will only get through the book/series(?) if I write from the heart, telling personal stories and experiences of my life and friends. With that in mind, I sat down for a few hours at the beginning of the month and forced myself to answer in a timeline spanning hundreds, if not thousands, of years. Where do we begin? The answer I came up with was that we start with the loudest voice; we begin with the Madling Queen, Perlysia Luna, at her most vulnerable point as a spoiled, impressionable child.

I built everything around Perlysia as the calm in the hurricane of voices in the Madhouse, so it only made sense to open our world through her eyes. Knowing that Perlysia is the protagonist of the opening novel, I outlined 34 chapters that will expand to flush out our antagonist. I am shooting for 40-ish chapters. Breaking that down to 40 chapters, shooting for a fantasy word count of around eighty thousand, equaling around two thousand words a chapter. This is an achievable goal.

I am deciding right now, as I write this, without a timeline, without pressure, that I will not finish this; I will find excuses why it doesn't matter. Timeline: I will finish the first draft by the end of the year, roughly 110 days after the children start school at the beginning of September. That puts my goal at just over seven hundred words daily, a number this update has already surpassed. I can do this, Madlings; Shy told me to be a writer; I must say I am and do the work. It's just that simple.

I have role-played, played games, and written stories from a young age. As a young Maiden, my original dream was to be a video game writer inspired by Final Fantasy, Dragon Quest, Legend of Dragoon, Elder Scrolls, Legacy of Kain, etc. When anyone asks if I could do anything for a living, my answer has always been telling stories. I will stop waiting for an opportunity to be what I want, Madlings; I have decided to step up and do the work.

Treating this as a job means defining the product and story I will sell you in the undetermined future. I also plan to set up a few ways to monetize soon, which must be defined. Therefore, let's dive into what the Madhouse will present in the next four months and beyond.

What I am selling hasn't changed. It is just going to be better defined. Foremost is the novel (more on that soon), which is in the distance, but how do we get there? Starting in September, I will begin posting weekly updates on the website about the novel's overall completion level and word count and whether things have changed. Then, when I complete chapters to a first draft I feel comfortable with, I will release those chapters onto Patreon. Another Patreon exclusive will be the Music Madhouse, which will be how I work through things like now while adding elements of supporting artists I enjoy. Four thousand words a week for the novel and musical posts at least once a month will create two perks to offer while I grow. Growth is more complicated, but I have ideas for achieving this, which we will discuss later.

Madlings, the Madhouse lives through transparency, so allow me to explain my plan for the first novel. We will use a three-act structure to tell Perlysia's story, with the second act split into two more minor acts. So technically, four acts. I don't believe that a first-person point of view is my strength, so I will likely use a limited third-person style, focusing on as few POVs as possible. We have discussed our eighty thousand word count goal with around forty chapters. With the logistics settled, let's dive into the content filling those pages.

Act One: Perlysia in her youth

*Young Perlysia Luna

Perlysia Luna, the spoiled princess of the Glacial Northern Kingdom of Luna, is named after her ancient ancestor, the first Queen of Twilight, Luminara Luna. Centuries later, Luna became the leading superpower of the three kingdoms whose shores touched the Violet Sea. This dominance was established due to Luna's advances in magical weaponry, which were placed in the hands of the Twilight Orthodoxy's Templar soldiers.

The first act's main plot sets the stage, describing the world for every story to come. Perlysia was isolated and spoiled in her youth, and as she begins to branch out from that sheltered life in the Caste of the Twin Moons, she meets influences who will shape her life. Allies and antagonists of Perlysia will appear, with Perlysia oblivious to the chess game played behind the scenes. While focused on her new friends and freedom, Perlysia fails to see the secondary plot of Act One.

*Young Kassandra

A political battle is waged behind the scenes, in the background of Perlysia's childish antics. Perlysia's mother, Althea Luna, had grown weary of the perpetual crusade of the Twilight against the dominion of Erebus across the Violet Sea. The war kept Orion, Perlysia's father, forever trapped in the Obsidian Wail, a land of monsters corrupted by an ancient Goddess. A desire to have Orion back and the misery of many who have lost loved ones needlessly has driven Althea to seek an end to the madness.

Emeric Solis, the current Twilight Sovereign, will never allow peace with Erebus. Emeric's family has fought to purge the world of the darkness across the sea for centuries. Tensions will build between Emeric and Althea as their worldviews clash throughout Perlysia's youth. Both parties will attempt to influence Perlysia.

Act One ends with Perlysia and Kassandra putting their lives in danger as they sneak out alone to the Amythyst Docks. Perlysia and Kassandra had lived a privileged life in the castle and were unprepared for the seedy lifestyle of the docks. The children are quickly discovered for who they are, and shenanigans lead to Perlysia meeting someone who will influence her life and beliefs more than Althea or Emeric.

Act Two: Exploring a Brand New Luna

*Teenage Perlysia

A few years have passed since the events at the Amythyst docks. Althea, fearing that events would repeat themselves, tightened Perlysia's leash. Perlysia was forbidden from leaving anywhere unattended and was even assigned a permanent bodyguard chosen by the Twilight Sovereign. The young guard Nemida protects the teenage Perlysia as she begins to discover the truth behind the beauty of her Kingdom.

Being guarded and watched endlessly was troublesome, but at least Perlysia gained a new tutor from the events at the Whispering Siren Inn. Agnes Blackravens was an old seamstress who ran a simple shop in Rainbow Town, Luna's shopping district. Agnes seemed to be an endless fountain of knowledge and taught Perlysia how to see the shadow cast by the light of the Lunar Queen.

Like many orphans created by the crusade, Nemida was taken in by Twilight and trained to be a squire and, one day, a templar of the order. Raised in Frostfang Bastion, Nemida exposed Perlysia to Luna's military and religious traditions, which her mother had spent her life pushing against as Queen. Tensions have begun to grow between Emeric and Althea.

*Teenage Kassandra

Kassandra, forever friend to Perlysia, also left the Whispering Siren Inn changed. Kass discovered that she enjoyed her time in the company of the sailors who frequented the establishment. Each sailor that made a dock in Luna eventually made their way to the Whispering Siren Inn, eager to describe their harrowing adventures crossing the sea. Kass became enthralled with the adventures shared, longing to one day leave the confinement of her family responsibilities and be free at sea.

As devoted followers of Twilight, Kassandra's parents begin to force behaviors and beliefs upon their daughter. Many characters are introduced as Kassandra struggles to follow her family's wishes while an increasing desire for adventure and freedom pulls her heart away.

Act Two will wrap up with our main protagonists being introduced to their antagonists and potential futures. Through Agnes' guidance, Perlysia begins to see the bigger political picture and stakes behind her mother's desire to bring peace between Luna and Erebus. Meanwhile, Kassandra has grown close to Eldra Seaheart, the ingenious captain of The Eclipse.

Act Three: Ancient Wounds Revealed

*Young Adult Perlysia

Now nineteen, Perlysia has been aiding her mother in her romantic desire for peace with Erebus. Althea had somehow managed to traverse a tightrope and secure an olive branch with Lucien Nyxaris, Prince of Erebus. A dance is being played just out of Perlysia's view, and she will spend this act trying desperately to decipher the puzzle.

The sudden death of a high-ranking noble in Perlysia's court has caused a stir. Phaelin Elaria has stepped into his father's seat, and the ambitious elf wastes little time in seeking to restore the glory of his once great name. Generations of failure had left his house tarnished, his name forgotten. Phaelin will be pulled into a generational tug of war for Luna's control as the nation's darker side is revealed.

Luna has been torn in half by the increasing possibility of peace. War has been a constant since Luna's founding; a core tenet of the Twilight Orthodoxy was the eradication of any that contained the corruption of the Obsidian Wail. The political views of both the Twilight Sovereign Emeric and the Lunar Queen Althea had shifted. As peace with Erebus builds to a certainty, allegiances, and faith will be tested, forcing each citizen of Luna to choose a side.

*Young Adult Kassandra

The B Plot: A misunderstanding between Perlysia and Kassandra forms a rift. As they grow older, familial responsibilities split the once close friends apart. Both young women have begun to struggle under the weight of the expectations placed upon them. Perlysia has spent most of her nineteenth year with her tutor Agnes or in Castle drama, where many wish to manipulate and control her actions.

Meanwhile, in Kassandra’s early adulthood, family secrets are revealed to her. Kassandra's family line is traced back to the founding of Luna, with her ancient ancestor being a close friend of Typhon Solis, the original Twilight Sovereign. As devoted followers of the Twilight, Kassandra's parents were not supportive when they discovered their daughter's adventures in the Whispering Siren. There are consequences for disobeying, for threatening to leave your family.

Kassandra and Perlysia have begun to walk parallel tight ropes. Nearly half a dozen voices are manipulating Perlysia in the castle. She was starting to see the shadow cast over the Kingdom by the radiant light of the Lunar Queen. At the same time, Kassandra was spiraling down long-forgotten and forbidden knowledge gained from her family's ancient connection to the Twilight. Both young women were being pulled down a rabbit hole of living up to their families' expectations. The once inseparable friends are destined to collide on different sides of the timeless struggle for control over Luna.

Act Four: The Night of Twilight

*Obsidian Wail Perlysia (Student of Belladonna)

Unexpected news from across the Violet Sea rocks Althea and threatens any hope of peace. Althea, blinded by grief, closes herself away from the Lunar Court. In the confusion, Phaelin plays his hand and convinces Althea to make a decision that will change Luna forever.

Meanwhile, Perlysia was discovering the truth behind all the lies. She had learned from a trusted source that her tutor was not who she claimed to be. Agnes, connected to the Nyxaris family, manipulated Perlysia and her mother to seek peace with Erebus. Feeling betrayed, Perlysia allows emotions to guide her. As the peace ceremony looms, so does the failure that will haunt Perlysia forever.

*Kassandra Seaheart (Daughter of the Eclipse)

Kassandra trusted them… How could they?… They were so proud… What am I?… The night Kassandra followed her parents into the Solis temple, she was a casual follower of the Twilight. Enough to keep her parents happy while her heart sought a life out in the ocean. They were the guests of the Twilight Sovereign and others way more important than she was. Why was she here? It was the night before the ceremony… Were we celebrating? The woman… the bound Prince… the plan… you were part of the plan. It's not too late. She trusts you.

*Tea Garden Fountain

The End: "There must always be a Lunar Queen!" The A and B plots converge on the night of the peace ceremony. Life-long friends stand on opposite sides of a civil war that has only begun. As Twilight falls over Luna, the shadow that Perlysia was warned of washes over her Kingdom. Secrets revealed, sacrifices made, and the first dawn of Perlysia's life.

Okay, Madlings, let me explain my reasons behind what you just word vomit suffered. I enjoy character-driven stories that allow you to spend time with their characters and care about their triumphs and failures. This is the beginning of a larger arching story I want to tell slowly. As much as I love my big, shiny ideas for later, we must set the groundwork for why those moments matter.

I decided to do that by telling a simple story about two friends. Inseparable in youth, they grew apart as their age and responsibilities grew. Both of our protagonists represent a side of Luna's society. Kass and her family are nestled in the Twilight Orthodoxy and the religious orthodox side of the nation. Meanwhile, Perlysia is learning her family’s best intentions can lead to real pain for ordinary people. Royalty comes with power, and that power scares her. The young women will realize that good and evil are on each side of the coin. Even if their paths cross before the final hour, they will never stop the dawn. The triumphs and failures of our characters will pave the path across the sea, where the Obsidian Wail awaits.

*The Arborant of the Obsidian Wail

That's about it, Madlings. I'm sorry this was so long. We had a lot to talk about. Thank you for always being here and shining a light in the Madhouse. Blessed be!