800 Hours and Six Drafts — Part 2

February 28, 2026 · Writing · O.E. Bruening

Writing setup: espresso, phone, and laptop on a wooden desk

Throughout the writing process, I tried to keep a diary of the progress and what went through my mind. Here is a timeline from the early idea to the final version.

2022

Sep: The idea for the novel takes shape.
Oct: Outlining the story, thinking through the world and its characters, and writing the Prologue.
Nov: Writing the bulk of the first draft during NaNoWriMo.
Dec: The first draft is completed at almost 64,000 words. Realizing afterward that the last 10,000 are really part of the next book (the escape from the Second City).

2023

Jan: World-building begins in earnest through backstory short stories. Studying character arc theory and mapping it against the first draft. Eden's second act and his struggle with discrimination need to be fleshed out. Questioning "what the hero wants vs. what the hero needs."
Feb: Writing more backstory short stories. Master Halin's betrayal of Lotrair is traced back to a love triangle. Aleena's headstrong personality and her hatred of the dwarves take shape. The dwarven currency, tavern names, and naming conventions are worked out. Creating a three-act structure matrix mapping character arcs against story beats.
Mar: A new opening chapter is written. Research into mining and underground mapping informs the world-building.
Apr: A full read-through of the first draft is completed over 2.5 weeks. The third act, expected to be the weakest, actually holds up well. The Aleena chapters "give me the shivers." But Faras's revolutionary chapters need to be reworked. The question of Anya's specialness arises. Adding the dwarven civil war, triggered by the Battle of Dyiundur.
Jun: The prologue is rewritten from Aleena's POV. Second draft editing begins and proves much harder than writing. Studying Brandon Sanderson's writing lectures. Analyzing Jurassic Park's structure chapter by chapter for its technique of splitting groups and escalating stakes.
Jul: Second draft editing starts to find its rhythm. Adding new characters and scenes, like the dwarf lady in red from the trial. "How can you make it worse?" becomes a guiding principle. The theme of racism grows more vivid. Sharing the first six chapters with a first beta reader.
Aug: Part 2 is rearranged. Aleena now opens the second part to change the tone. The courtyard scene is rewritten from a flashback into a follow-up from the cabinet meeting, with Lord Ashmace arresting students. Planning to add one or two more chapters, including one about Anya and Richard. An ePub version is created, which reveals the book reads differently on a Kindle: things stick out that did not before.
Sep: The spider scene on the way to the Second City is reworked. The one-way wall that felt arbitrary now serves a real function. Writing daily for a few weeks and the words start to flow easier.
Oct: The second draft is completed at 88,500 words, then revised to 90,591 after reworking the third act. The final chapter, the reveal of General Teanna, feels right. The epilogue becomes "the release of the promise that was made in the prologue." Printing the book at Kinko's and registering the copyright.
Dec: Hiring the first professional editor, Kat. Her feedback, while frustratingly thin, delivers one key observation that echoes through the rest of the project: "The characters react too much. They don't cause the plot." Borrowing an idea from the Warhammer 40k Eisenhorn series: the best friend betrays the hero because of righteous beliefs. This seeds the direction for Faras's arc.

2024

Jan: Processing beta reader feedback from nearly a dozen readers. Consistent praise for world-building, along with helpful feedback: more internal dialogue, and Aleena's timeline should be tied to the Battle of Dyiundur. Anya's emotional intelligence is a strength, but it is not yet on the page. Beginning work with Roberto F. Castro on the first set of illustrations.
Feb: Writing a second epilogue, connecting Aleena to Halin and closing her arc. The "Pebble and Gemshine" chapter is written, getting the character interactions to feel right. Two key problems are identified and combined into one solution: Ashmace's death and Anya's magical payoff are both disappointing separately, but merging them is promising. Roberto delivers 9 illustrations.
Mar: Rewriting Chapter 9 ("Lastadur") with real conflict: Faras lashes out and Anya responds. Considering merging the characters Ian and Richard into one.
Apr: The third draft is completed at 109,256 words after roughly 150 hours. Major changes: Richard and Ian are combined into one character. Aleena's timeline is moved to before the Battle of Dyiundur, making her the cause of the war. Anya uses her powers to overcome the spider. Faras and Eden/Anya fight in the final scene. Seven new chapters are added: "At the Palace," "The Prisoner," "A Daring Escape," "Casovan's Residence," "Ember's Fate," "Pebble & Gemshine," and "Dark Mother." A difficult decision on Faras: killing him off does not feel right. Instead, he will throw a fit with Eden and Anya and leave with the Dwarves of Light. His act 3 scenes need reworking. He is too nice, too much the old Faras from act 1. He needs to be darker.
May: Chapter-by-chapter polishing begins.
Jun: Draft 3.5 is completed at 105,037 words, cutting roughly 4,000 words. The Prisoner chapter is reworked. The reveal that the prisoner is Master Halin is abandoned in favor of the reader knowing from the start, because there is no emotional connection to an unnamed character. "Ember's Fate" is moved from Part 2 to Part 3, evening out the spacing of Aleena chapters and shifting more action into the third part. Commissioning five new illustrations.
Sep: Hiring developmental editor Julie Eshbaugh after reviewing three candidates. Her feedback is the most encouraging and substantive to date: "This is such a sprawling story, with depth and breadth." She also identifies what needs work: tightening, clarity, and prose.
Oct: The epilogue is rewritten. Teanna now finds Aleena dead on the battlefield at Dyiundur. This closes Aleena's circle. The flashback structure is reworked around her falling and death. A new framing for chapter 7 is written.
Nov: Draft 5 begins. The opening chapters, largely unchanged since the first draft, are finally rewritten. The first chapter now starts with conflict. This allows the removal of an entire Yorrek scene. Testing different opening chapters. More Eden reactions are added throughout.
Dec: The prose is tightened by hunting down weak verbs.

2025

Jan: A new Aleena chapter, "Ben," is added. The "Late Night in the Chiseled Forge" chapter is rewritten to show Skokrud messing with Eden. Considering cutting three Faras chapters: "The Magical Council," "Pythius," and "Trouble at the University."
Feb: Editing is finished through Part 3, four months in. Over 600 hours are now invested in the book. Editor Julie Eshbaugh reviews the latest draft and loves the changes, especially the new Ben/Aleena chapter.
Mar: The "Dark Creatures" chapter is ripped apart and split into three: "Crossroads," "Dark Creatures," and "Primal Fears." "Primal Fears" is rebuilt around researched hypothermia symptoms after a middle-of-the-night insight: the chapter was too easy because Anya got through it. The rewrite is emotionally overwhelming to write. The "Blue and Gray" chapter is cut for not advancing the story.
May: Draft 5 is completed after 6.5 months and 267 hours of dedicated writing, including 79 consecutive days without missing a single one.
Jun: A friend's 12-year-old daughter devours the book in 3 days. More positive and helpful reader feedback follows.
Aug: Deciding to self-publish, driven by a realization that traditional publishing would require compromising on the book's identity to fit a formula.
Oct: Editing resumes after a break, tackling the remaining structural feedback. Work focuses on connecting Aleena's plot more tightly to Eden's timeline through Teanna, deepening the Richard/Anya relationship earlier, making characters more active throughout, and resolving what to do with the Halin/Tia epilogue (moved to a "post-credit" scene). Replacing the spiders with skitterbacks.
Dec: The final draft is completed at just under 108,000 words. Hiring line editor David Gatewood. Illustrator Audrey Rouvin is commissioned. First call with illustrator Pascal Wijnberg about creature illustrations. First call with Greg Rutkowski about a battle painting.

2026

Jan: Small tweaks to the Sunrise chapter, because Aleena felt too doubtful, not true to her fiery personality. Narrators Michael Kramer and Kate Reading are hired. A local bookshop offers to host a launch event. Researching printing costs and format options.
Feb: Reviewing the line edits from David Gatewood, accepting most and pushing back on some where the edits flatten the language. Greg Rutkowski's painting takes shape, with the feel of a classical battle painting. The final draft is officially done at just under 108,000 words. A beta reader finishes the book in a few days and says it should have been longer.
Mar: The novel is submitted to Kirkus Review for an objective assessment. Cover designer Spiridon Giannakis is hired on Greg Rutkowski's recommendation.