1) Tactical Storytelling – Every Scene Has a Purpose
I don’t just write cool moments—I engineer them.
Every fight, every dialogue exchange, and every “Oh sht”* moment is designed to push the story forward. Whether it’s:
* Character development (Rick evolving, Fred being a lovable menace)
* Worldbuilding threads (The interface’s anomalies, the Watcher’s observations)
* Strategic progression (power growth that feels earned, not handed out)
Everything you read is part of a long game—layers of foreshadowing, setups that won’t pay off for chapters, whole books, even in the next saga, and yes, even things that look small now might hit like a truck later.
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2) Combat: Tactical, Not Flashy
Fights aren’t just about who has the biggest sword—they’re about:
* Positioning – Line of sight, terrain advantages, movement economy.
* Fatigue & Resources – Stamina, Focus, injury management—because power means nothing if you’re too exhausted to use it.
* Tactical Adaptation – Rick isn’t the strongest fighter, but he’s smart, and that’s just as deadly.
I want every fight to feel like a battle of wits, not just blades—because survival isn’t about power, it’s about who makes the fewest mistakes.
Rick doesn’t overpower his enemies—he exploits their assumptions. And that’s deadlier than brute force.
If you’re fighting fair, you’re already losing.
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3) Character Creation: They Aren’t Just Names—They Have Roles
When I introduce a character, they aren’t just there to exist—they serve a purpose:
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* Aelira – The intellectual skeptic, the one who asks the right (and dangerous) questions.
* Kaela – The practical glue that keeps things grounded when tensions rise.
* Bronthar – The instinctive warrior, a foil to Rick’s calculated strategy.
* Fred – Snarky chaos, but also… a lot more than that.
They all have rich backstories, depth of personality, and above all, emotional immersion.
Everyone is here for a reason, and their growth isn’t static. They’ll evolve. Trust me.
And if you think Fred is just comic relief… well, we’ll see.
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4) What About the Interface?
This isn’t a game system—it’s something older, weirder, and far less predictable.
It reacts mystically, not mechanically, and Rick’s biggest challenge isn’t leveling up—it’s understanding what the hell it actually wants.
There’s no XP to grind in this universe, only lives to reap.
And what happens when the interface starts reacting to things Rick doesn’t do?
Or worse—things it should have no way of knowing?
Well… that’s a problem for another chapter.
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5) Refining & Cutting Scenes – Why I Don’t Keep Everything
Some of you already noticed I’ve been posting bonus content (like this scene!). That’s because not everything makes it into the final draft.
* If a scene doesn’t move the story forward, it gets cut.
* If something can be implied instead of spelled out, I trim it.
* If dialogue feels off, I rewrite until it hits right.
Does it hurt? Yes. But I’d rather deliver a sharp, focused story than slow things down with extra fluff.
(And hey, that means I get to drop cut scenes later as a bonus.)
Kill your darlings, they say. I prefer to keep them in reserve.
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6) AI & My Writing Process – Clarification for the Curious
Since I love talking about my process, let’s quickly address a question that’s come up a few times...
* I write every chapter myself. Every scene, every tactical decision, every emotional beat—it’s all me.
* AI is a tool, not a replacement. Like an editor or spellcheck, it helps me refine drafts, check for repetition, and ensure continuity across chapters.
* My voice and vision drive the story. AI doesn’t create my characters, plot, or ideas—it just helps streamline my writing process.
At the end of the day, my goal is to tell the best possible version of this story, and I use every tool at my disposal to make that happen.
Thoughts? Questions? Let me know in the comments!