For my 2017 Clarion West Write-a-thon goal, I finished the chapters that let up to the plot point half way through the second half of act two. When I reviewed the outline and reread the previous draft of the last quarter of act two, I was excited, but decided it needed improvements.

In this part of the story, a new character arrives to sow destruction that hits the protagonist at the darkest moment at the end of act two. The character achieves this by moving through a change arc from being sweet and innocent to being wicked and malicious.

Since I worked on the previous draft, I have gained a better understanding of the protagonist’s Lie versus the Truth and how at the midpoint he began trying to change himself. As this new character’s actions challenge him, the wrong path becomes tempting again causing him to struggle to stay on the path he knows is the right one.

I will control the flow in this sequence by using story structure and a character change arc for the new character, in a sense treating it as a standalone story. This will bond the last quarter of the second act in to a coherent theme.

This will be fun.

Character Dimensions, Story Structure, Mind Map, Outline

I’m using my on-going writing efforts for my participation in this summer’s Clarion West Write-a-thon. My goal is to finish my current work’s second act hitting and passing the story’s darkest moment as I move into the third act.

The write-a-thon is a fundraiser for the Clarion West Writers Workshop, a nonprofit literary organization based in Seattle, Washington, USA, with a mission to improve speculative fiction by providing high quality education to writers at the start of their careers.

You may sponsor me by donating to Clarion West. On the Lester D. Crawford Clarion West Write-a-thon profile page, select the “Sponsor Lester D. Crawford” button.

I completed the 2016 Clarion West Write-a-thon. I changed chapter 1 to better setup chapter 8, enhanced chapter 6, and finished chapters 7, 8, and 9.

Chapters worked on during 2016 Clarion West Write-a-ton.

Again this year, I am participating in the Clarion West Write-a-thon. My goal is to complete drafts of the next two chapters of The Dragon Universe Book 5.

The write-a-thon is a fundraiser for the Clarion West Writers Workshop, a nonprofit literary organization based in Seattle, Washington, USA, with a mission to improve speculative fiction by providing high quality education to writers at the start of their careers.

You may sponsor me by donating to Clarion West in my name on my profile page on the Clarion West web site by clicking on the “Sponsor Lester D. Crawford” button. As a reward for considering donating, my profile contains an excerpt from The Dragon Universe Book 5.

My goals for the 2015 11th Annual Clarion West Write-a-thon was to complete drafts of chapters 14 and 15 of “Buddy Journey,” book 4 of The Dragon Universe series, and to create a mind map and outline for a novelette, or possibly novella, but probably too long for a short story, of the Risirid (characters in The Dragon Universe) survivors’ origin story that focuses on Patriarch’s contribution to that survival and subsequent prosperity.

I met my goals.

Buddy Journey Chapters 14 and 15, and Mind Map and Outline for Patriarch’s Story

I am participating in the 2015 11th Annual Clarion West Write-a-thon.

My goal is to complete drafts of chapters 14 and 15 of “Buddy Journey,” book 4 of The Dragon Universe series, and to create a mind map and outline for a novelette, or possibly novella, but probably too long for a short story, of the Risirid (characters in The Dragon Universe) survivors’ origin story that focuses on Patriarch’s contribution to that survival and subsequent prosperity.

The write-a-thon is a fundraiser for the Clarion West Writers Workshop, a nonprofit literary organization based in Seattle, Washington, with a mission to improve speculative fiction by providing high quality education to writers at the start of their careers.

You may sponsor me by donating in my name at www.clarionwest.org/members/lesterdcrawford/

The 2014 Clarion West Write-a-thon has finished. I met my goal of completing drafts of chapters 4 and 5 of “Buddy Journey,” book 4 of my The Dragon Universe series.

To those who sponsored me, I say thank you.

The Clarion West Write-a-thon is a fundraiser for the Clarion West Writers Workshop nonprofit literary organization.

As of this posting, the opportunity to sponsor writers is still open.

You may contribute in my name by following the sponsor link on my write-a-thon profile page.

You may sponsor any of the other fine writers by selecting them on the Write-a-thon 2014 participants page.

This link will take you to the general information about the write-a-thon.

Write-a-thon 2014 Goal Met

Again this year, I am participating in Clarion West’s Write-a-thon June 22 – August 1, 2014.

My writing goal is to complete drafts of chapters 4 and 5 of Buddy Journey, book 4 of The Dragon Universe series.

If you wish to sponsor me, visit my Clarion West profile page and click on the Sponsor link.

Clarion West Write-a-thon original goal met, and now stretch goal met. With the Write-a-thon ending, I achieved all I set out to achieve, plus more. I am satisfied.

Write-a-thon Goals Met

I achieved my Clarion West Write-a-thon goals early. I am now working on a stretch goal: the next chapter.

The next chapter has two major scenes, with several lesser ones. One of the major scenes existed in previous drafts, but in this draft, it is more intense. The other major scene is new for this draft.

I expected this chapter to be relatively short and easy, but the outline turned out to be 11 (single spaced) pages.

No problem.