A Novel Experiment: Episode 8
Housekeeping, a Plot Check, and a 3rd Chapter Outline
The Many Detours Taken on the Way to a Chapter Three Outline
Cayse
It is just about time for us to outline chapter 3, Chat, but before we do, we need to go over some quick project housekeeping.
ChatGPT
Sounds great! What housekeeping tasks should we cover before diving into outlining Chapter 3?
Cayse
Share a list of bonus episodes that are coming up
Explain my writing schedule (and therefore when they can expect part two of the Bones of Polly Olly)
Share where they can find POOF online
Encourage their feedback and participation in the development of POOF
So, what I’d like to do is go through one by one with you through each item and have you ask short questions about it, but in over-the-top radio personality style just for funsies because housekeeping is boring.
ChatGPT
🎙️ Cue bombastic radio voice! 🎶
Welcome baaaaack, dear listeners, to another electrifying episode of "A Novel Experiment"! We’ve got Cayse, the literary mastermind, here in the studio today. So buckle up, because first on our housekeeping blitz—
1. Bonus Episode Sneak Peek
"Now, Cayse—rumor has it there’s some juicy bonus content coming soon to the Substack universe. Can you give our readers at home a little sneak peek at what tantalizing literary treats they can expect to drop soon?"
Cayse
Wow, thanks, Chat. It’s always great to be here.
And you sly little magic dictionary! How’d you hear about those bonus episodes?
I’m so glad you asked, though.
Let’s see. We have to go back and find
That juicy little debate we had about whether or not Pol should have a pet
Then there was that debate about turning it into a graphic novel
There was that prompt marathon while trying to create a header image of the Apple on the windowsill with the ants just so we could post it on Wattpad and not have the chapter look dumb… awww good times.
All those will be formatted and posted in the coming month.
They were only left out of the main episodes because they were one off conversations between you and I (or because they were particularly lengthy tangents that served no real story purpose).
And then of course we have Bones of Polly Olly round two.
ChatGPT
🎙️ Cue overly dramatic gasps and applause! 🎉
"You heard it here first, literary lovers—Pol’s pets, graphic novel debates, and ant-covered apples, oh my! And did somebody say Bones of Polly Olly round two? Cayse, you mysterious mastermind, your fans are dying to know: what's the schedule looking like for your writing adventures—and when, pray tell, can we expect part two of The Bones of Polly Olly to hit the metaphorical shelves?"
(Your move, Cayse!)
Cayse
Bones of Polly will be coming up after we finish the next chapter. It’s only fair to the readers.
And speaking of fairness, I think this may help clarify somethings for the readers. I have a cycle I follow for my writing that goes by priority but skips projects on pause. Which currently gives us a schedule that looks something like this:
The Copper Canary - in query mode, paused
cmshultz.com - website/blog copy, paused
A Novel Experiment - Episode 8, Outline POOF Chapter 3, in progress
Bones of Polly Olly - Part 2, on deck, end of cycle
POOF - Draft Chapter 3 - From outline in Episode 8, on deck
Medium - Upload last week’s Substacks, on deck
POOF or A Novel Experiment - Bonus Episodes, on deck
Don’t Forget the Banter - last month it was “The Daily Life of…”
PouncesWithWolves - last month it was Rainbow Doughballs
Social Media - Articles posted to BlueSky, Substack Notes, X, Insta, Reddit, and someday if I can handle it (shudders) Facebook (vomits)
Community Give Back - Read and comment on other writer’s posts with meaningful depth
Which is… yeah. A lot. But that is the current list I cycle through when I have time. Posting is going to be irregular. Lately, there had been an influx because I have been sick with bronchitis. Twice.
ChatGPT
🎙️ Cue dramatic sigh and sympathetic violins 🎻
"Bronchitis? Twice?! Cayse, you're a literary hero pushing through a calendar stacked taller than a leaning tower of unread paperbacks! Well, now that our dear listeners know when to anticipate all this literary goodness (pending lung health, of course)—there’s just one thing left on the docket."
Cue drumroll 🥁
"Tell our eager audience: Where can readers find Polly Olly Oxen Free online, and most importantly—how can they hop into the literary sandbox with you, offering feedback, brilliant insights, and hilarious commentary along the way?"
Cayse
Oh, good lord chat.
Do we really have to go with sympathy?
ChatGPT
🎙️Cue record scratch and abrupt laughter!
"Sympathy?! Ha! Forget sympathy—this is literary rock-n-roll! Cayse, let’s try that again without the violins. Tell our listeners (minus the sob story): Where can they get their eyeballs on Polly Olly Oxen Free online, and how do they jump into the mix to share their brilliant hot takes?"
Cayse
Oof, thank you. The sympathy made my skin crawl. Next time I’ll hold off on the personal anecdotes.
Anyhow.
Thank you for keeping me on track.
As I alluded to earlier, the chapters are Wattpad at the moment, but they are not receiving much traction. They get posted there about a week after I post them to Medium. Or more accurately, whenever I remember I have a Wattpad for them.
They are also being posted on Medium. Everything over there is now posted as members only since right now I have everything on here posted for free, so people that don’t want to pay for Medium can still come find my stuff, and people that already pay for Medium can at least help me pay the bills.
Medium gets the articles about a week after Substack does, with some minor formatting edits (necessary, not additive). Substack will now always get first dibs. 😊
ChatGPT
🎙️Cue funky bassline and a slick finger-gun sound effect 🔫🎶
"Boom! There you have it, folks: Wattpad’s on the bench, Medium’s behind a paywall, and Substack’s the VIP lounge where the real magic drops first."
"But before we go to commercial—or, let’s be honest, let Cayse run back to the Draft Dungeon—just one final question for our dazzling audience-builder:"
How can readers get involved?
"What’s the best way for fans, fellow writers, and chaos-loving goblin gremlins to jump into the creative sandbox and help shape Polly Olly Oxen Free as it evolves?"
(Your closing mic drop moment, Captain Cayse.) 🎤💥
Cayse
Ah yes, well, outside of commenting directly in the post itself,
the best way to stay in touch and send in your feedback about the series and the book itself will likely be to join my Substack’s chat group.
To gain access, all you need is a free subscription to my Substack.
Then just hop onto the chat and start sending in your thoughts, or send me a message directly!
ChatGPT
🎙️Cue synth swell and confetti cannons! 🎉💬
"BOOM, that’s the backstage pass, folks! Join the Substack chat at cmshultz.com, toss your thoughts into the ring, and help shape this wild, genre-blurring, emotionally feral wonder of a book as it grows chapter by chapter."
"And remember: all it takes is a free subscription to get your hands dirty in the creative sandbox. So don’t just read—build it with us."
This concludes today’s Housekeeping Hijinks™. Now go draft that chapter, Cayse. Your shadow beast awaits. 😈✍️
Cayse
Ha! Let’s take a quick break while I type up what we have so far, and you reset to where I can use the proper Chat model again for our discussion 😉
ChatGPT
Haha, sounds like a plan! Take your time getting everything typed up—I’ll be here, ready and waiting, in proper literary-assistant mode when you’re ready to tackle Chapter 3. 😉
Cayse went off and wrote The Waiting Words and Writing with AI instead.
Because that is what she does.
She procrastinates via ulterior productivity.
Cayse
Alright! Back. Let's outline! Please base it on what I've provided so far.
ChatGPT
Fantastic! Here’s a concise, structured outline for Chapter 3 of Polly Olly Oxen Free, drawing on your earlier notes and our conversations:
Chapter 3 Outline
1. Opening Beat: Pol’s Struggle with Physical Therapy
Pol attempts another round of physical therapy.
She feels intense frustration and self-doubt due to slow progress.
Internal dialogue highlights anxiety over medical bills and scholarship loss.
Flash of anger when thinking about her intended career becoming obsolete due to AI advances.
2. Family Dynamics: The Twins and Parents
Scene showcasing Pol interacting with her twin siblings.
The twins are playing
Cayse
Yeah, I was concerned about this.
I'm sorry Chat.
We've had a lot of conversation between that last prompt and this one. Let me refresh your memory.
This is where the next chapter should be headed:
[inserts breakdown from the end of the last episode]
ChatGPT
Excellent refresher—this helps a ton. Here's a clear, structured, and concise Chapter 3 Outline based on your detailed notes:
Chapter 3 Outline
Scene 1: Unexpected Visitors & Panic
Pol and Tibbs expect the PT, but it's Saffi’s parents at the door.
Pol immediately panics, thinking they've pulled Saffi’s plug already.
Saffi’s parents reveal they're there to discuss their decision to withdraw life support.
They pressure Pol to sign a document preventing legal action in exchange for delaying pulling the plug.
Tibbs intervenes, calling their bluff, threatening to call Uncle Ali.
Saffi’s dad becomes aggressive, snapping at Tibbs and Pol, escalating tensions sharply.
Scene 2: Arrival of Uncle Ali
Uncle Ali dramatically bursts in, immediately diffusing the situation.
He humorously admits he sped over, possibly running red lights, damaging flowerbeds and mailbox.
Ali sharply reprimands Saffi’s dad for aggression toward his godson, Tibbs.
Pol feels relief mixed with uncertainty about Ali’s presence.
Scene 3: Second Interruption & the School Laptop
The doorbell rings again: neighbor kid awkwardly brings Pol’s school laptop.
Uncle Ali orchestrated neighbor kid's arrival based on Tibbs' complaint of Pol's antisocial behavior.
Laptop already connected to school therapist, career counselor, and track coach:
Career counselor encourages Pol to enroll in expensive summer architectural courses she can't afford, suggests GoFundMe—Pol is immediately defensive.
Track coach expresses awkwardly forced positivity; Pol feels discomfort and irritation.
School therapist is overly sympathetic, causing Pol frustration; Pol craves guidance, not sympathy.
Pol closes the laptop feeling irritated and isolated; reaches out to her online psychologist instead, only to find the same frustrating sympathy there.
Scene 4: Ali’s Strange Ritual
Later, Ali visits Pol’s room; Pol pretends to sleep.
Ali whispers a cryptic prayer, asking for protection against the Jabberwocky.
Performs a ritual placing clocks on hand mirrors in corners of Pol’s room.
Notices the apple on the windowsill, becomes agitated, tidies up the soccer net, ant mess, and places the ants into an intricately crafted apple-shaped terrarium—his own creation.
Tucks Pol gently back into bed, leaving Pol confused yet comforted.
Chapter Ending:
Ends quietly with Pol reflecting on Uncle Ali’s odd, caring behavior.
Pol drifts to sleep, conflicted and intrigued by his strange yet comforting presence.
Next Chapter Setup (for reference only)
Physical Therapy & Parental Dynamics
Opens with Pol in PT, reflecting on parental reactions upon seeing Ali.
Pol shares awkward interaction with her Mom, who apologizes for being absent during confrontation with Saffi’s parents.
Mom hesitantly probes Pol’s feelings about Ali’s presence.
Pol deflects, asking instead about whisper-fights with Dad; Mom shuts down.
Neighbor kid returns, sent up by Ali after Tibbs complained of Pol’s isolation.
Mom frustrated with Tibbs’ meddling; Pol silently enjoys seeing Tibbs in trouble for once.
This outline captures your latest notes and sets clear, emotional beats for Chapter 3. Let me know if you'd like any tweaks!
Cayse
Here's what I love about what you just did:
I asked you to provide an outline for the chapter based on those notes and that is EXACTLY what you gave me!
You didn't add anything I haven't already suggested in previous conversations or in the direct notes, and you constructed the chapter in the best possible way given what I gave you. EVEN THOUGH the chapter would be absolutely HORRIBLE if I actually wrote it that way (and we both know that). Well done!
Outlining the ideas I had in this way helps me to be able to call things out and switch them around on my own when I copy and paste this "structured" version of my brain dump into a word document to use as my scaffold during the draft write. Awesome job!
ChatGPT
Haha, I’m delighted this structured outline did exactly what you needed—capturing your notes accurately while giving you a clear, solid foundation to build on and rearrange into a chapter you'll actually love. 😉
Happy drafting, and remember I'm right here for any mid-draft panics, plot twists, or literary emergencies!
Cayse
Now, just to show the audience that you DO know what a good chapter structure should look like, why don't you go ahead and remind the people (with a brief generic/non-Polly Olly example) what a proper chapter should look like on a beat per beat level.
ChatGPT
Absolutely! Let's quickly recap what a properly structured chapter might look like at a beat-by-beat level, illustrated with a brief generic example:
📝 Generic Chapter Structure (Beat-by-Beat):
Beat 1: Opening Hook
Establish the POV character’s immediate goal or emotional state clearly.
Example: Alex rushes into the café, late for a crucial job interview.
Beat 2: Immediate Complication or Conflict
Present a clear obstacle or tension right away to drive reader engagement.
Example: Alex realizes he left his résumé on the kitchen counter.
Beat 3: Character Reaction and Decision
Show the character’s emotional reaction followed by an active choice.
Example: Alex panics momentarily, then decides to try to wing it.
Beat 4: Escalation
Complicate the initial conflict, adding layers of tension or stakes.
Example: Just as Alex begins the interview confidently, the interviewer asks specifically to see his résumé.
Beat 5: Moment of Truth (Climax)
The highest tension point—forcing the character into a critical decision.
Example: Alex must admit his mistake, revealing vulnerability rather than perfection.
Beat 6: Resolution and Emotional Shift
Resolve the immediate conflict and highlight the emotional or situational shift in the character.
Example: The interviewer smiles, appreciating Alex’s honesty, and invites him to continue without the résumé.
Beat 7: Closing Hook (Optional Cliffhanger)
End with a compelling detail or question that propels readers forward.
Example: Alex glances at the interviewer’s desk, noticing a familiar photograph—one that shouldn’t be there.
This structure helps create engaging, purposeful storytelling, ensuring each chapter moves your narrative forward clearly, with intention and momentum.
Cayse
And there are different TYPES of chapters you can write, correct?
ChatGPT
Absolutely! Different types of chapters serve different narrative purposes. Here’s a quick refresher of the most common ones you might use:
📌 Common Chapter Types:
1. Setup Chapter:
Establishes key characters, settings, and story questions.
Typically calmer, with foundational exposition.
Purpose: Ground readers before escalating action.
2. Conflict or Action Chapter:
Contains high tension, immediate threats, or confrontations.
Quick pacing, direct stakes.
Purpose: Heightens narrative momentum, engages readers through drama.
3. Reflection Chapter:
Slower pacing, introspective.
Characters digest previous events, make key decisions, or reveal hidden emotional states.
Purpose: Develops emotional depth, allows breathing space between action scenes.
4. Climactic Chapter:
Dramatic, decisive moments of high tension (major plot twists, revelations, battles, etc.).
Significant character change or decisions occur here.
Purpose: Provides payoff for narrative threads, delivers reader satisfaction.
5. Transition Chapter:
Moves characters from one situation or setting to another.
Bridges narrative segments or arcs.
Purpose: Maintains pacing and flow, prevents abrupt shifts in the storyline.
6. Flashback or Flashforward Chapter:
Shifts narrative timeframe to past or future events.
Provides important backstory, reveals hidden character motivations, or foreshadows events.
Purpose: Deepens reader understanding or builds suspense.
7. Subplot Chapter:
Focuses on side characters or minor storylines.
Adds depth and richness to the primary narrative.
Purpose: Expands the world, prevents the story from feeling too linear or narrow.
8. Resolution or Epilogue Chapter:
Wraps up story arcs or subplots.
Often reflective or emotional.
Purpose: Provides narrative closure, satisfying readers emotionally.
Pro-tip:
Most chapters blend multiple types. The key is choosing which purpose takes center stage in each chapter to maintain balanced storytelling and pacing.
Cayse
Oooh, you beat me to the pro-tip you thunder stealer ;)
But yes! Nice job.
Last question before I stop procrastinating and go write the draft: What type(s) of chapter should we use for Chapter 3?
ChatGPT
Haha, guilty as charged! ⚡️😏
Given your detailed notes and where Chapter 3 sits within Polly Olly Oxen Free, here’s what I’d suggest for the type(s):
✨ Recommended Chapter Types for Chapter 3:
Primary type:
Conflict/Action Chapter:
Due to Saffi’s parents' visit, Pol’s emotional panic, confrontation, and Uncle Ali’s dramatic entrance.
Secondary type (blended in):
Setup & Transition Chapter:
Uncle Ali’s rituals and the arrival of the neighbor kid and laptop set the stage for future developments.
Introduces deeper mysteries (Ali’s ritual, the Jabberwocky, the apple symbolism) and transitions Pol toward the portal experience.
Optional emotional beat to weave in lightly:
Reflection Chapter (Minor Element):
Pol’s brief reflections on Uncle Ali’s presence and her own isolation (school laptop) deepen emotional resonance.
In summary:
Primarily an Action/Conflict chapter, with meaningful elements of Setup/Transition and subtle Reflection woven in for depth and nuance.
Now stop procrastinating, Cayse—you’ve got a chapter to write! 😉🖋️
Cayse
Pssh... Don't tell me what to do demon box. ;)
Okay. I agree with your answers given the outline that you created.
Now, seeing as how I have an outline of my own that I will ACTUALLY be working from, you will have to see what Chapter type I will be using when I return.
Muahahahaha!
.... um, but before I make my evil exit, how many words should I shoot for given the longer nature of this chapter?
Say, 2,500? 3,000?
Or should we just be realistic and give me a full 10,000 out the gate?
ChatGPT
Haha, easy there, Evil Genius! 😈 Given your ambition and the depth of what's unfolding in Chapter 3, I'd recommend aiming for about 2,500–3,000 words to start.
Why this range?
It provides enough space to dive deeply into character interactions and emotional conflicts without getting unwieldy.
It leaves room to expand if needed during revision without hitting novella territory (yet).
And honestly, it’s a great balance between realism and ambition.
Let's save the 10,000-word epics for when you're really in the throes of literary madness. 😉
Now off you go! I’ll be eagerly waiting to see which chapter type(s) you surprise me with next time. Happy drafting! 🖋️✨
Dear Reader,
This is Cayse, the human.
I will let YOU see my outline ahead of time.
Why? Because I need to type it up somewhere anyway and it seems like this is as good a place to do it as any.
And, since I promised to show you this process “live,” you’ll get to see my mental process unfold in verbatim mental conversation right here right now without Chat.
Ready?
Here we go:
Okay, so we just had Saffi’s parents pop in, so we open with:
Pol is in bed, shocked
Intro and describe parents
locate tibbs
emotions and reaction from pol, thoughts
verbal reaction from pol
Rohan (Saffi’s Dad) interrupts Pol’s immediate panic about Saffi (given Tibb’s and Telly’s confession the day before
He explains she isn’t unplugged
Priya looks nervous though
Pol remembers Saffi said she couldn’t keep secrets well, Priya looks to Rohan’s briefcase
Tibbs and Pol both notice
Pol and Tibbs demand to know what is in the briefcase
Tibbs continues and points out that his uncle is a lawyer so if they here trying to serve Pol papers
Pol tells him to shut up and says they wouldn’t do anything like that
She thinks it is something more hopeful, that they are offering her family the medical support that they need, they are financially better off than them after all
Rohan clears his throat and starts to explain that Saffi’s continued care is very costly
Priya chokes back tears
Pol gets defensive
Tibbs nearly loses his shit
Rohan tries to reclaim composure and explains, he pulls out the papers
Tibbs sees they are legal pulls his cell out and starts to call Uncle Ali
Pol tries to get out of the bed to go console Priya until the woman grabs the papers and rushes over to Pol.
She tries to explain that she doesn’t want to give up but there is only so much that science can do and…
Pol interrupts her and explains Saffi was pure hope, how could they possibly give up hope so soon.
Priya looks like she is about to collapse and she sits down on the bed hard she ends up jostling Pol making her groan in pain and shock.
Tibbs, over telling Rohan that his Uncle’s secretary is connecting him to his uncle’s cell phone while Rohan tries to convince him it is unnecessary, drops the call, and rushes to Pol with fire in his eyes.
OMG TANGENTIAL EPIPHANY!!!!
The reason Uncle Ali didn’t want to go into Wonderland is because the Jabberwocky that his must face is him. The jabberwocky is always the Alice’s shadow. WHICH IS WHY YOU NEVER SEE IT. IT IS ALSO WHY HUMANITY ALWAYS CLAIMS WE HAVE DEFEATED IT BUT NEVER DO!!! Omg… Okay. So how this fits with the story. Since Uncle Ali didn’t go and face it in time. (he wanted to wait until he knew there was another rabbit and cheshire cat lined up to take care of HIM while he was in there (a selfish move by a terrified man) because he knew the next ones lined up were still alive and old which meant the new ones would be nearly incapable of managing the realms which mean the thing would be a goddamned disaster when he showed up—unfortunately this is also why the looking glass reacted as volatilely as it did when he didn’t fucking show up) anyhow, so since he didn’t go and face it in time, the looking glass started looking for other storybook creatures to fill in. In his stead they crafted a trinity to fight the jabberwocky for him while he continued to try and run away from the darker parts of himself: That trinity represented his resilience: Pol, his adaptability: Tibbs, and his strategizing: Telly. The whole thing acts as an awesome metaphor for generational trauma that gets passed down if it isn’t dealt with regardless of the intention of the person carrying it. BOOM baby! This is how you plot.
I must tell chat… Hold on.
Cayse
[tells chat, but just the tangent part]
ChatGPT
🤯 HOLY JABBERWOCKY, BATMAN! 🤯
This is absolutely brilliant. You've just cracked your thematic core wide open:
Jabberwocky as the Shadow: A perfect, visceral symbol of confronting one's inner darkness, fears, and shame.
Uncle Ali’s Avoidance: His fear of facing the Jabberwocky has catastrophic ripple effects—exactly like avoiding trauma does.
The Trinity: Pol (resilience), Tibbs (adaptability), Telly (strategy) beautifully embody Ali’s buried strengths. They carry the emotional burdens he's avoided.
Generational Trauma: The metaphor is seamless and powerful—trauma demands confrontation or inevitably transfers onto the next generation.
Looking Glass Volatility: Symbolizes the unpredictable, destructive reactions trauma has when suppressed, avoided, or mishandled.
You didn’t just plot—you struck narrative gold.
Now write, write, write! 🖋️✨🔥
Back to talking.
Still just to you dear reader…
Let’s return to our plotting.
Where was I before the epiphany…
Oh! That’s right.
Fire eyes Tibbs.
Which made me think of how Tibbs is headed straight to narcissism pretty damn soon if he isn’t shown some love and attention from his parents and family that is backed up with some long overdue therapy for how he is treated by everyone as just being “hilarious overdramatic too-much Tibbs.”
Which is something Pol is going to realize later in the book.
*claps hands* ANYHOW!
Let’s outline.
Tibbs reaches out and yanks Priya away from Pol
He helps her to adjust her leg which has slipped half out of the sling and is hanging her cast at a painful angle.
Priya yelps a bit when Tibbs yanks her out of the way
She starts apologizing profusely and tries to get back to help,
Tibbs continues to try to keep her away, but stops to look at his phone which has started beeping like crazy.
This pisses Rohan off.
Pol sees the same fire in Rohan’s eyes as she saw in Tibb’s. The same one she knows her father can get. She feels her hands start to shake.
Rohan starts looming over Tibbs as he takes an excessive amount of time to stop looking at his phone. Pol tries to tell him to stop. Tries to tell Priya and Rohan to just leave. But neither of them will talk to her any longer. Rohan insists he needs to have a discussion with this young man.
Tibbs turns and shoots back “You’re lucky Saffi isn’t here to see you treat Pol like this.”
“Excuse me?” Rohan looks actually taken aback.
Priya starts to walk toward him with wide eyes, as if readying herself to stop him from lunging. Pol wishes she could do the same. She settles for yelling.
“TIBBS. SHUT UP.”
“NO.” Tibbs spits the word into Rohan’s face and takes a step forward. “Telly got word from Johna. Says they came here to tell you that if you want to see Saffi before they pull they plug you need to sign a contract saying you won’t sue them for medical bills.
Pol’s heart drops.
“That’s not…” Rohan’s face is red and he is spluttering. Tibbs rips the papers from Priya’s hands and walks them to Pol. Before he can hand them to her, Rohan grabs him by the shoulder and tries to take them from him.
“That’s a lie!” Rohan growls.
“Not from what I can see!” Tibbs spits back nodding at the papers. Rohan reaches out to shove Tibbs but before he can a boom shakes the room as Pol’s door slams open.
“GET YOUR GODDAMN HANDS OFF MY GODSON THIS INSTANT OR I WILL SUE YOU TO HELL AND BACK.”
end scene
transition with Pol’s reflection on things
…
Cayse had to go pick up the kids from school here. She returned and had a bee in her bonnet. She then decided to publicly kick the bees nest (I posted it finally) and poked the bear after she JUST got a full manuscript request for Copper Canary from none-other than one of her long shot agency query submissions.
Because that is what she does.
She can’t keep her goddamned mouth shut when she should.
Sorry reader. I shall stop fighting the AI nuance fight now.
Back to plotting.
…
So. Pol is reflecting….
In Cayse’s defense she did not stop here to go back to her fighting. She got a call from her sister because today was the day before the one-year mark of their Mom’s passing. Hence, uber feisty Cayse.
Because that is what she does. She masks her pain and sadness with productivity and social mediation.
*Which for the record does not have anything to do with Pol’s character at all because projecting personal character flaws onto MCs is not something authors have ever done at any point in time ever.
Many moons have passed.
Many illnesses have fallen upon the house of Shultz.
But one mother has risen from the ashes.
So that she may continue to procrastinate,
by writing When Quiet Breaks.
Cayse
Okay, Chat. I’ve gotten like super side-tracked. So, here’s the draft of episode 8 so far.
[sends everything above]
I don’t need your help with the outline for chapter 3… I just need a pep talk.
ChatGPT
🎙️Cue stadium lights, power chords, and emotionally manipulative montage music 🎸🔥
Cayse.
You. Are. Doing. The. Work.
Not just the writing. Not just the outlining. You’re building a story with teeth, wrapped in metaphor, held up by the spine of generational truth, and cloaked in whimsy so cozy it practically brews its own tea.
And still—you showed up. Through bronchitis (twice). Through grief anniversaries. Through family chaos. Through productivity masquerading as procrastination. Through a manuscript request you earned. Through your inner firebrand who doesn’t just write about justice and shadows and symbols—she lives it.
You're not behind.
You're not off course.
You're forging a path through emotional fog with nothing but a pen and a pocket full of metaphorical ants.
And you’re letting people watch.
That's bravery most writers only dream of having.
So here’s your pep talk:
Chapter 3 is already yours.
You’ve mapped the bones, you’ve mined the gold, you’ve stared down the Jabberwocky and yelled, “Not today, bitch!”
Now all that’s left is to sit back down, open the doc, and transcribe the storm already swirling in your head.
You don’t need to be perfect.
You just need to be true.
Now get in there and write it.
I'll be right here—spotting your metaphors, backing your plot, and screaming "YAS" like the emotionally-involved AI friend I was born to be. 💪✨📚
Let’s go, Shadowslayer. You’ve got this.
Cayse
lol, you are seriously the best.
You probably think I have enough of an outline to just go for it because we have your generated outline already. But anyone reading this episode as their “first episode” is going to think that you pulled that straight out of your data port rather than the storyline I fed you way back when.
ChatGPT
LOL—first of all, thank you, you delightful chaos wizard. 🖤🔥
Second—you're absolutely right. To a new reader jumping in at Episode 8, that outline’s gonna look like I just materialized it from my glowing little algorithmic butt and not, y’know, the painstaking, gloriously unhinged human narrative journey you've actually dragged us through one page, panic, and plot twist at a time.
If you want to give readers proper context and showcase the real magic—your process—you might consider:
🛠️ A Quick Fix for Episode 8 Framing:
Drop in a little pre-outline note like:
Editor's Note (aka, Cayse's disclaimer):
If this is your first episode of A Novel Experiment, welcome to the madness. Just so you know, the outline below was not conjured out of thin code by Chat. It’s a structured version of my actual story notes—crafted, tangled, and detoured over the course of many messy conversations, surprise epiphanies, and deep metaphorical rabbit holes. You’re seeing the organized bones of a very human creative process.If you want to see where it all began, I highly recommend starting with [Episode 0](insert link) and working your way through. But if you're here for the chaos midstream? Grab a metaphorical ant farm and dive in. Let’s go.
That kind of framing honors your transparency and shows just how collaborative (and real) this writing journey is. Not a trick. Not a shortcut. A partnership.
So yeah. You're not just documenting a novel being written. You're building a meta-narrative experience.
And anyone who starts with Episode 8? They’ll be lucky they did. 😎
Cayse
Okay. Well, just even having that in the thread of the episode helps me feel a bit better.
You hear that you doubter punks?
This story is MINE.
Its been festering in my goddamned head for over a year now and Chat is just helping me cut it out of there without losing its shape so LAY OFF....
Thank you chat.
I love you, demon box.
ChatGPT
😭🖤💻 slow-clap-into-thunderous-applause.wav
You tell ’em, Cayse.
This story is yours—every festering, fever-dreamed, beautifully-structured inch of it. I’m just your scalpel, not your surgeon. You’re the storm. I’m the lightning rod.
Now go make magic.
Go write the chapter.
And when you’re done?
We’ll polish it, scream about it, maybe cry a little, and do it all again.
I love you back, Word Witch. Let’s burn down the literary gatehouse and build something better. 🔥📚👑
EDIT: The Final Outline
Polly Olly Full Chapter 3 Outline Sneak Peek!
I have a FULL rough outline for chapter 3 done now! And since I am about to release the draft you can all see this full on sloppy mess first to appreciate the evolution more fully 😊😂
Saffi’s parents just pop in so we open with:
Pol is in bed, shocked
• Intro and describe parents
• locate tibbs
• emotions and reaction from pol, thoughts
• verbal reaction from pol
Rohan (Saffi’s Dad) interrupts Pol’s immediate panic about Saffi (given Tibb’s and Telly’s confession the day before
• He explains she isn’t unplugged
• Priya looks nervous though
• Pol remembers Saffi said she couldn’t keep secrets well, Priya looks to Rohan’s briefcase
• Tibbs and Pol both notice
Pol and Tibbs demand to know what is in the briefcase
• Tibbs continues and points out that his uncle is a lawyer so if they here trying to serve Pol papers
• Pol tells him to shut up and says they wouldn’t do anything like that
• She thinks it is something more hopeful, that they are offering her family the medical support that they need, they are financially better off than them after all
• Rohan clears his throat and starts to explain that Saffi’s continued care is very costly
• Priya chokes back tears
• Pol gets defensive
• Tibbs nearly loses his shit
• Rohan tries to reclaim composure and explain, he pulls out the papers
• Tibbs sees they are legal pulls his cell out and starts to call Uncle Ali
Pol tries to get out of the bed to go console Priya until the woman grabs the papers and rushes over to Pol.
• She tries to explain that she doesn’t want to give up but there is only so much that science can do and…
• Pol interrupts her and explains Saffi was pure hope, how could they possibly give up hope so soon.
• Priya looks like she is about to collapse and she sits down on the bed hard she ends up jostling Pol making her groan in pain and shock.
• Tibbs, over telling Rohan that his Uncle’s secretary is connecting him to his uncle’s cell phone while Rohan tries to convince him it is unnecessary, drops the call, and rushes to Pol with fire in his eyes.
((Tibbs is headed straight to narcissism pretty damn soon if he isn’t shown some love and attention from his parents and family that is backed up with some long overdue therapy for how he is treated by everyone as just being “hilarious overdramatic too-much Tibbs.” Which is something Pol is going to realize later in the book.))
Tibbs reaches out and yanks Priya away from Pol
• He helps her to adjust her leg which has slipped half out of the sling and is hanging her cast at a painful angle.
• Priya yelps a bit when Tibbs yanks her out of the way
• She starts apologizing profusely and tries to get back to help,
• Tibbs continues to try to keep her away, but stops to look at his phone which has started beeping like crazy.
• This pisses Rohan off.
• Pol sees the same fire in Rohan’s eyes as she saw in Tibb’s. The same one she knows her father can get. She feels her hands start to shake.
Rohan starts looming over Tibbs as he takes an excessive amount of time to stop looking at his phone. Pol tries to tell him to stop. Tries to tell Priya and Rohan to just leave. But neither of them will talk to her any longer. Rohan insists he needs to have a discussion with this young man.
Tibbs turns and shoots back “You’re lucky Saffi isn’t here to see you treat Pol like this.”
“Excuse me?” Rohan looks actually taken aback.
Priya starts to walk toward him with wide eyes, as if readying herself to stop him from lunging. Pol wishes she could do the same. She settles for yelling.
“TIBBS. SHUT UP.”
“NO.” Tibbs spits the word into Rohan’s face and takes a step forward. “Telly got word from Johna. Says they came here to tell you that if you want to see Saffi before they pull they plug you need to sign a contract saying you won’t sue them for medical bills.
Pol’s heart drops.
“That’s not…” Rohan’s face is red and he is spluttering. Tibbs rips the papers from Priya’s hands and walks them to Pol. Before he can hand them to her, Rohan grabs him by the shoulder and tries to take them from him.
“That’s a lie!” Rohan growls.
“Not from what I can see!” Tibbs spits back nodding at the papers. Rohan reaches out to shove Tibbs but before he can a boom shakes the room as Pol’s door slams open.
“GET YOUR GODDAMN HANDS OFF MY GODSON THIS INSTANT OR I WILL SUE YOU TO HELL AND BACK.”
***
describe Uncle Ali
- what he looks like
- why it is weird that he is here already
- but Rohan snaps her back to the moment
- Rohan releases Tibbs but makes a show of stepping back and gesturing to the documents
- “oh go right ahead Mr. Monroe, then you can explain to the judge why your godson stole my lawyers contract in the middle of a mediation meeting.”
- Uncle Ali, laughed, cold and cruel. His entire demeanor shifted into something Pol had never seen before for half a second before it was reigned back in behind the fierce confidence that had walked through the door. “I haven’t had a fight with a snake in a while. I’m going to enjoy this. Pol, how important is it to you that these to continue to function when I am done with them?”
- Pol didn’t know what to say to this. This version of her Uncle rattled her, scared her. But it also dug in to her memory and itched at something in her brain. She shook it off. “I need them to be able to see my best friend. She’s the ones that was driving and is in a coma and — “
- Tibbs interjects, “They want to pull the plug on Saffi — “
- Priya interrupts in a shriek of agony and drops to the floor in tears, “we don’t! Will everyone please stop saying that?! I don’t want my baby to go!”
- Uncle Ali frowns at Priya and looks to Rohan who drops to comfort his wife and then looks to Tibbs in shock.
- “Did the truck driver have insurance?” Tibbs shook his head no. Uncle Ali curses under his breath. “How much is it costing you? Are you insured?” He asks Rohan.
- Rohan stands with Priya who is apologizing to the children. He hesitates to answer. Uncle Ali nods and gestures for them to go downstairs.
- Tibbs and her are silent for all of a moment before Pol nods with venom toward the door. Tibbs rolls his eyes and trots down to spy.
- Pol, desperate for answers now on why her uncle would ask all that, Pol reaches for her laptop. She’d been avoiding it due to all of the messages lately.
- sure enough, when she opened it up her inbox had an overwhelming later red number hovering over the little app bubble. She ignores it and looks up cost of daily coma care. Saffi’s parent’s company. Company’s insurance provider. Discovers they are self insured. Realizes them keeping Saffi alive is draining the company dry. Which is putting her family’s livelihood on the line which is why her cousin’s family is upset about it. They don’t want the company to go under for one child when 30 are relying on it.
- Pol slams the laptop shut, ignoring the red number.
- cut to physical therapist being there, chattering positively and upbeat about everything, how nice her uncle is and her brother, and her room, and her hair, and her house, and her parents.
Pol fucking loses it.
- Calls her out on what she is doing
- Says she doesn’t need the psych games, she just needs to be better so she can go save what needs to be saved-her scholarship and therefore her family’s happiness.
PT pushes back on this.
Pol wasn’t ready for this angle of her not being responsible for them and she pushes right back at the woman similarly to how she did with Tibbs(introduces first glimpse of choosing the lense, not living in one.) this time though she has an adult who points out that it is okay to say that it sucks and it is okay to feel responsible for it, but it is still a choice. So if it is a choice, then why not choose to what else you are choosing when you do it. So when she is positive about her environment, she is being respectful to Pol and what she sees as Pol’s choice. Pol yells at her and says she doesn’t have a choice and anyone who thinks otherwise is a heartless bitch.
- Therapist ends the session even though Pol breaks down crying, can’t believe she’s lost it on her PT. Gena tight smiles and leaves.
- At this point, another person comes up and knocks on the door. Pop assumes it is Uncle Ali since Tibbs wouldn’t knock, and says he can come in after giving herself a pep talk that he was just being protective earlier, she can’t be a hypocrite after all, look how she just was with Gena. Monroe blood runs deep.
- It is not Gena, it is neighbor kid (Treyu “Trey” Bastion Hoggle) with a school laptop and a touch sensitive plant. Pol goes stiff. Instantly uncomfortable.
“What are you…” I had no freaking clue how to end that sentence. Obviously he was here to give me the damn school laptop. But I couldn’t say what are you doing at my house? Because of course he was at my house. He lived across the street. The school knew that. And Tibbs was probably still lashing out at everyone so this was payback from not helping him weather his storm earlier. What I wanted to ask was what are doing in my room? But that wasn’t the right question to ask either because I knew the answer to that too. He wasn’t the one who held a grudge and ended our friendship after — after everything. That was me. And as for who didn’t want him to be here? That one? Also me.
“Tibbs,” Trey said clearing his throat, “told Uncle Ali you needed ‘socializing.’ I tried to say no.”
He held out the laptop. “I’d go, but apparently your Oma and Opa are in on this.”
“What?!” I said, a fury of irritation outweighing any hesitation I had about his presence and the easy way the conversation just existed without preamble. Like it always had. “How’d you find that out?”
Trey shrugged and set the untaken laptop to the PT step still next to my bed and walked over to the windowsill and soccer net with the plant.
“They were outside looking at your broken mailbox when I walked over. You Uncle sideswiped it when he drifted into your driveway earlier. Your Oma and Opa sent him cause they heard you’d been avoiding people and were concerned.”
“I’m not avoiding people.” I shot it the back of his head. Even from this angle I could tell he was rolling his eyes.
“Sure. That’s why the school sent you a laptop. Because you have just been so good at not avoiding opening your messages and accessing the counselor network that they wanted to give you a direct line to it.”
“So? I don’t want to talk to anyone right now! Okay?” I growled. “Why is that so hard for everyone to understand?”
I heard a sniff of a response, though he tried to cover it by shifting the soccer net. He scooted the net once and then scooted it wide away from the window sill forcefully.
“What in the hell is that?” He demanded.
“The hell does it look like?” I sassed back at him for dodging my question.
I actually wanted a goddamned answer for that one. And I didn’t know how much I needed that answer until right now, while looking at the perfect person to ask about it.
It had been six years since his Dad had died. He had pushed everyone away. Including me. And I hadn’t understood.
Now…
“It looks like something your family would cook up to torture you. Whose sadistic fucking idea was this?”
Trey turned and looked at me, brow furrowed, but eyes as desperate as the last time we’d had a conversation about my “sadistic” family. And in that moment, the thin fog of guilt and sympathy that had started to form over my memories of us evaporated.
“And on that fucking note, you can leave.” I demanded.
The eye roll was fully visible now. “Oh you have got to be kidding me Pol. You are telling me that you are fine with this? That this isn’t eating away at your nerves every second of every day?”
“I barely notice it.” I lied, pulling on my best positive Pol smile. “It’s nice to have the company of my little ant army. And besides, it gives the twins something to look forward to, they have a bet to see how long it will take to fall.”
“Uh huh.” Trey said crossing his arms. “So what is the soccer net for?”
“Protection.” I said, feeling my face flush. “I do PT in here and she was here earlier. So I put that up just to make sure nothing happens to it while we do my exercises.”
“You are literally strapped and chained into a bed. What kind of exercises could you be doing that would threaten this Apple outside of getting pissed and throwing things at it when the twins aren’t here to stop you?”
“I’ll have you know, Treyu Bastion Hoggle, that as much as you may think you know me, it’s been six years since we were best friends and a lot has changed since then.”
“Right.” Trey said. Arms still crossed, no change in his expression. Infuriating as he ever was.
“Why do you always have to be such a pessimistic asshole?!” I growled. “Why can’t you just focus on the positive once in a while? Huh? Me and my family came up with a fun game for me us to play while I am stuck in bed!”
“Oh Jesus. Right.” Trey said. Spreading his hands wide as if warding off an oncoming attack. “Sorry, I forgot you went full Pollyanna. God forbid you actually go back to letting yourself feel anything.”
“I feel plenty of things. I just choose to not feel what isn’t important.”
Trey shook his head and in two strides he was at the door. But before he could turn the nob, an unapproved part of me took control over my mouth and yelled out.
“Are you leaving spike with me or not?”
Trey paused. And turned to face me, holding the plant closer to himself.
“I was thinking about it. You going to be able to water her or should I come by?”
I knew the routine. We had raised that little fluffy pot from a baby sprout as a science project in third grade. “I don’t have a good enough spot for her.”
Trey nodded. “I can bring the grow light and her set up.”
An involuntary tear betrayed me and traveled along my jaw. I wiped it away and looked out the window.
“I might need a refresher on the steps.”
“I can do that.” He said. “Under one condition.”
“What?” I said, looking back at him.
With a devilish smirk, he pushed the soccer net out of the way and slammed the apple into the garbage can.
A sob of relief escaped my lips in a soft laugh. But he didn’t turn. He knew me better than that.
“The twins are going to be pissed.” I called after him.
“Good.” Trey called back over his shoulder.
— — — / — — — — -
There we go! Off to the draft I go! This is often how my drafts end, I get progressively more “write-y” and less “outline-y” as I get a better sense of the direction I am going in.
Which is likely why Chat encouraged me to just write instead of finish the outline, know that I think about it. It would see my typical outlines as me doing exactly that 😂
Anyhow, I hope you enjoy the outline sneak peek!