Brielle Donoghue

April 14th, 2023

Sun and Scar Update #1

I plan on writing my first 10 pages of my book, I have already started drafting the book I
just need to start typing it out now. I want to complete the map with it as well, I already
almost finished it so this will take about 4 hours to perfect.
I need to allot one to two hours a day working on the project. I do not have ample time
usually, so this is the one area that needs great improvement. The materials needed this
week are only my sketchbook for drafting and drawing the map, characters, and cover
art, as well as my laptop for typing and so on. Ms. Leqrioux suggests that I get a mentor
so I may need to work on that although I would prefer not to. I have two people helping
me with reading over my book and suggesting edits, Macie B and Bailey D.
I anticipate that I will struggle to type out the pages in order to finish this book, time is
dwindling, and I am becoming extremely anxious. This obstacle is becoming a large
roadblock for me, my confidence at the moment is not very high.
So far, I have developed my main characters and some of the plot elements. I have
drawn the characters, what I believe the map will look like, character sheets with
character traits, personality, backstory, and their appearance, world building, as well as
other plot lines. I started writing out the plot of the story as a rough, simplified version. I
am going to start the real rough draft of the story as soon as I finish fleshing out that
idea.
I have been utilizing creative thinking with having to come up with the ideas all by
myself and fleshing them out. Since I am building a story around discrimination in a
way, I need to incorporate core skills like social responsibility and personal and cultural
responsibility. The main male lead is discriminated and persecuted for his species, so I
have been working hard to approach this in a respectful and realistic view despite it
being fantasy.
So far, the hardest thing for me to do has been working on the project at home, I do not
have any spare time anymore and my life lately has been giving me a great deal of stress
and exhaustion. For me to push through this I must think about my responsibility to
myself and my schooling, as well as my future. If this career is something I seriously am
considering I need to start getting used to feeling this way. A way to get through this
other than thinking about my future is to imagine the outcome of this project and what
good it can do for me.

¨ Include pictures and/or video of your progress

Progress on the EXTREMELY rough plot outline:

Main Characters

Aruna – she/her

Eelios – he/him
Plot

Aruna lives in a city in peril due to the increasingly hostile and controlling government
(monarchy). Cities have been blocked off, unable to leave the towns and cities freely on most
occasions. This escalated till only government officials and “special cases” could be let through.
You only ever see the gates open for those leeches, government officials, and prisoners.

Aruna lives in ___ with her father Seb, a local blacksmith stuck in the town by government
force. When Seb is taken away by the government leeches abruptly Aruna does what any sane
person would do, plan her escape, flee her town, and find her father all while hiding from the
forces in her way.

First, she waits for those leeches to stop by the town. The only ones allowed in and the only ones
allowed out, other than prisoners of course, such as Seb. The life on the other side of that damn
wall could be anything, it could be dangerous, it could be wonderful, but for sure Seb is on the
other side of that wall. The plan is simple, leeches from the kingdom come every so often to
impose fear onto the villagers, either by thinly veiled threats or executions in broad daylight. The
leeches usually roll in the gate with a carriage lead by horses to extract their victims. Once the
town is busy in the square, she will attach herself onto the bottom of the carriage, out of sight,
and leave with the guards and prisoners. The prisoners are usually your usual run of the mill
criminals, thieves, con-men, gang members, and people willing to kill others in this small
secluded and closed off hell hole, but there will always be those unfortunate enough to be
accused of the worst of all crimes, harbouring magic.

The night of the escape was the night where they burned the most bodies. Everyone was herded
into the town square like sheep. It had never been this dark when the leeches showed up to
torment the town, a restless murmur carried through the crowd of onlookers, quiet as not to be
heard by the government dogs standing up the stage.

Pictures:

Main Characters: