I am going to join sessions soon too. I really like the time they are set for! Thanks for the encouragement

@Jessica Wagner oh how exciting though! Cherish every moment :) they grow up so fast!! I’m proud of the young adults my children have become, I sure do miss having them at home!

@Jessica Wagner this is what I’m “instinctively” doing. I can’t seem to get past my first act. I am now on my 3 rewrite of my first act, when I say rewrite I mean I have made major plot changes that require significant changes. The reason I stopped at the first act is because I’m writing a fantasy, and it can become too easy to front load lore too early confusing the reader/creating pockets of info dumping. Or build the world too slowly and once the lore is introduced in later acts it feels like an entirely different book. Each time I have written act one I felt a good balance of my lore introduction but I “added” plot changes. I am definitely not doing something right!

@Jessica Wagner thank you for this advice. It’s true, I jumped into a project I know nothing about! I’ve learned a lot, and setting up scenes within in a chapter seems “natural” to me. But I am missing something still structurally. I see value in your mentors workflow and I understand how it helped you develop a way to write fantasy. I hope to get this book written, and more so I hope it brings God glory!

What exactly is that?

@Timothy Colomba that sounds really cool and fun!

@Timothy Colomba true, I have to be careful with info dumping as well. I was referring to the outline, and timelines of world-building. It’s something I really like doing. As far as how I’m blending my faith…that is more complicated, the world would be considered “high fantasy” (a new world) I hope to show that there is an allure to following the worlds structure it’s defined right and wrongs (or lack of) but that my protagonist will eventually come to understand and discern truth from lies. It’s all very symbolic of a fallen world, a tempter (satan/sin) moral ambiguity but an absolute right, and redemption/grace for a “lost sheep”. The world names none of that. On the surface it’s just a story, but for those who dig deeper there is meaning within it. I hope! Lord willing!

@Timothy Colomba exactly! Many of the writers of the Bible used metaphors, symbols that spoke to their audience, and those words are inspired Word of God. I don’t say that trying to imply that anything I write will be sacred like scripture, only that fiction writing can bring glory to God and speaking to your audience is a model we see used again and again throughout scripture. It is by far my toughest part of writing. I don’t want anything that ends up being blasphemy. And it’s difficult to write a world like this, my finite mind trying to “explain” an infinite God. I don’t know where this group will head, when I heard what you wanted to do, and saw that there was another fiction fantasy Christian writer in this group, I thought maybe I’ve found a group that can help me parse out the lines, I should or shouldn’t cross. If that makes sense?? Anyway, I am glad to be here.

I use mainly use Google Docs, but I frequently text myself ideas when I’m away from my laptop. I do a lot of handwritten notes as well. Basically, I’m all over the place! I’m curious about scrivener, I’ve looked into it before but I wasn’t certain if it was right for me. I’d love to hear how it’s working for anyone who is using it. A method I am considering trying, once I’m settled in—I’m currently in the process of moving—is using index cards to track “threads/scenes” on a cork board. Building a timeline of major plot points, threads, callbacks, foreshadowing and such. This could allow me to easily move scenes in an outline to another place if needed. See, all over the place!!

@Timothy Colomba that would be awesome! Is it a monthly subscription or a one time purchase?