Writing 2,000 words of fantasy lore sounds like a lot. With a 5-step workflow, it is a 3-hour evening.
Step 1: The thesis test (15 min)
Every chapter needs a thesis — one sentence the chapter proves. Examples from the EFER lore book:
- Chapter 1: The Sylvan chose to remember.
- Chapter 3: The Communion is a choice, not a memory.
- Chapter 4: The Cursed chose the Void.
- Chapter 5: The Clockwork are not machines.
No thesis = no chapter. The thesis is what makes the chapter readable.
Step 2: The faction test (15 min)
Every chapter must feature at least one faction decision. If a chapter has no faction decision, it is a transition chapter and should be cut.
Step 3: The NPC test (30 min)
Every chapter needs an NPC with a name and a reason. The NPC is the lens. The reader experiences the thesis through the NPC.
Step 4: The outline (30 min)
5 sections. 400 words each. The thesis in the first section. The faction decision in the third. The NPC arc in the fifth.
Step 5: The draft (90 min)
Write fast. Do not edit. The thesis + outline + NPC carry the chapter. Trust them.
Step 6: The read-aloud pass (30 min)
Read the chapter out loud. Cut every sentence that makes you stumble. Cut every paragraph that bores you. The lore book is meant to be read, not skimmed.
What this got me
5 chapters in 5 weeks. 12,000 words. The lore book v1 manuscript in 8 weeks. The lore book v2 manuscript in another 8 weeks. 60,000 words total.
Read 3 free chapters — see the workflow in action.
