Hello, dreamers. We are now halfway through the first full week of National Novel Writing Month 2025.

This is the critical juncture. By this point, ideally an author has written at least the first few chapters of their novel. You’re establishing the story, exploring characters. You’re learning what this book will be like, and ultimately committing to it.

For me, the first major hurdle was the second chapter, where I’d elected to go in a totally different direction than I’d originally planned. But I made it through. Now I face a series of character development chapters, and those can be tricky. Early in a novel it’s about laying the foundation. You need to establish your characters’ backstories and gradually reveal the plot. But nobody wants an info-dump or droning monologue. So in the absence of action you lean on tension. I’ve established tension. Now I need to maintain it.

In that, I dare say I’ve succeeded. But I have a lot more to do. So here’s the latest, and the outlook on the week ahead:

Aquarius 1

As of this writing, I’m around 2.6k words into the third chapter. While most writers start with an outline, the events of individual chapters are fluid, and subject to change as the story demands. I don’t always know exactly when and where a chapter will end until I get the feeling “Okay, this one is wrapping up”. But at the moment I get the sense I’m a little over halfway through this chapter.

I’m starting to get a better idea of the structure of this story. I’d known from the start that most chapters would be split between the two POV characters (Karen and Anita). But right now I’m discovering their individual roles in furthering the story.

At this point in the story, the Challenger is on its way to the ocean exomoon of Rigil Kentaurus b, and will arrive in a little over a month. That means that for now, Karen (being a marine biologist) doesn’t have much to do. Anita, on the other hand, is a know-it-all polymath and engineer, and has plenty to do (partly because she keeps volunteering for everything). What I’ve come to realize is that, at the moment, Karen is providing the emotional thrust behind the story, getting the reader to empathize with her and the other characters she will bond with. Anita, on the other hand, is currently my main vehicle for tension. Her friction with her commander and several other characters, as well as her direct involvement in the coming action, maintains tension and keeps the stakes high.

I’ve discovered it works best to write the Anita scenes during my morning session, right before I long in to work. At that time of day I’m more analytically-minded. I’m better able to map out scenes that are heavy on hard science, and Anita’s voice is more similar to mine. Karen’s scenes, on the other hand, I write in the evening, during my primary session. Her voice is much more distinctive, and I’ve found it helps to be in “full writing mode” when working through more emotionally-charged and introspective passages.

I’m hoping I can knock out the rest of this chapter either tonight or tomorrow, and move right into the next (and final) development chapter. That will set me up to spend Thursday and Friday working on the first major action sequence. I’m hoping to have that done by the end of the night Friday. That will allow me to focus on platform work on Saturday (and fully enjoy college game day). We’ll see how I did come Sunday. Until then, as always, dare to dream. – MK