Hey, author here. Quick heads‑up about what just changed and what you can expect going forward.
1. The opening has been rebuilt from the ground up
I scrapped the old first run (the early 10 chapters) and rebuilt the opening of Void Citadel from a clean slate.
Same core premise. Much sharper execution.
I went back through your reviews and comments, pulled out the recurring complaints and wish‑lists, and used them as a checklist while rebuilding:
Stronger hooks and tighter pacing from the very start.
Clearer POV handling (Silas vs Sienna vs others).
Cleaner prose with less fluff and fewer "filler" lines.
Void Citadel / Thaloria / Stoneveil rules shown more naturally in‑scene instead of dumped.
If you've read the previous draft: this new run is the canon version now. The old chapters are archived; what you see published from the Prologue onward is the upgraded line.
Recommendation: start again from the Prologue. Some moments will feel familiar, but the order, emphasis, and a few key details have changed.
2. New release design (quality > daily grind)
I tried the daily‑chapter grind. It nuked quality and pushed me toward burnout.
New plan:
Target: 3 chapters per week – aiming for Mon / Wed / Fri.
Each chapter: ~2.5–3.5k words so individual updates actually feel satisfying.
Reality check: life happens. If a chapter slips by a day, it's because I chose to keep the quality bar instead of pushing out a rushed draft. The weekly goal stays three solid chapters, not seven rushed ones.
This isn't an apology; it's a professional adjustment so the story can actually reach the later arcs instead of dying halfway.
3. Reviews mattered – how your feedback changed the draft
A quick thank‑you to everyone who left early reviews.
I didn't just read them – I applied them. The common threads (pacing, clarity, worldbuilding delivery, character focus) all fed directly into this rebuild.
So if you notice the new version feels sharper, that's partly because readers pointed out where the old one sagged. You helped raise the floor.
4. Patreon & backlog (soon, but not yet)
I'm building a proper backlog (goal: 10+ advanced chapters) before turning Patreon on for real.
When that happens, it'll be:
Extra chapters ahead of the public run.
Some behind‑the‑scenes bits (like art, notes, etc.) focused on adding value, not just paywalling fluff.
I'll drop a short note in‑story when Patreon actually launches. Until then, the priority is simple: get a consistent, high‑quality front‑line release going.
5. What you can expect from here
A tighter, cleaner, higher‑standard story from page one.
A protagonist who actually grows under pressure instead of just reacting.
A world (Void Citadel + Thaloria + Stoneveil) that unfolds with clearer rules and deliberate foreshadowing.
A release pace designed to be sustainable for the long haul, not a sprint into burnout.
Thanks for giving the story a shot – or another shot after the rebuild. This rebooted opening is the baseline I'm committing to going forward.
This note will stay up for the first week of the reboot so returning readers see it. After that, I'll archive it and let the Prologue stand front and center.
See you in the Prologue.