Reciting the Airships

The past week has seen my outline finally cross into Act 2 territory. The plot has opened up and a bunch of different characters are now screaming at me for their turn in the limelight, and still others are showing up to the party hoping to get through the door.

The belly of the beast.

In a way its like Ive restarted, because the plot has shifted focus from the main character to a larger conflict. The difference is that at this point, the characters that have already been introduced are now moving around with three-dimensional personalities. Rather than being character-building, the chapters are now character-driven. Plot-driven, too, but the characters are starting to uncover themselves, driving the story forward in ways I hadnt thought of.

Before starting this outline, I was scared I wouldnt be able to write a 50k word novel. With all of the ideas that keep flooding onto my screen, Im beginning to think I may cross that finish line two times over.

The next couple weeks are going to be slightly tougher than recent ones. Im going to have to climb the Act 2 ladder until I reach the top and can slide back down to the start of Act 3 (the Final Act). But its going to be fun! Act 1 was the hardest. Act 3 should be the easiest, since its the last push to a complete outline. But Act 2, I think, is the most important. Its what keeps your interest past the initial "wow" factor of Act 1, and its what makes the outcome of Act 3 so impactful.

Chapters Outlined: 11, 12th one started
Rough Word Count: 12,697