I started writing The Departure Protocol for Nanowrimo 2009. Yes, that's eleven years ago now. It's a story that has been sitting on the shelf, waiting for its opportunity ever since.
When the Wattys were announced early in 2020 with the requirement that any submitted stories must be finished, I realized that with over 7 months until the end of the submission period, there was plenty of time to plan and write another story. The Departure Protocol was the obvious candidate.
This started My Journey To The Wattys 2020, a project where I intended to not only write this story but I also document how I did it.
(Check the link in the inline comment to the right >>> to find the link to it on my profile, or just check my profile.)
Now, if you followed My Journey To The Wattys you know that my plan didn't quite turn out the way I had hoped it would. My planning went well but for my writing, I ran out of time. I only ever wrote three chapters.
As November approached, I contemplated whether to participate or not. At first, I decided against it, but as the weeks passed by and I thought more about it, I figured I might as well give it a shot. Even if I don't get to 50,000 words, I'll be that much closer to completing the story.
So, as of November 1, 2020, The Departure Protocol was officially my 2020 NaNoWriMo project!
Alas, it was not to be. LIfe got in the way, as it can at times. As I'm writing this in July of 2022, I'm finally getting ready to start posting the chapters with a goal of getting the story submitted for the Wattys 2022.
A couple of years late, I know, but hey, it is what it is.
Update: as of July 28th, I've decided to change my intentions with this story. I'll no longer be submitting it to the Wattys, which changes the release cadence. Since I don't need to have it completed by a certain date, I'll be posting weekly updates until the story is complete instead. Expect new chapters to drop every Friday morning Alaska time.
I should also add that most of this story is very one-sided, in that it mostly tells the story from the perspective of just one or two people. It is also a very rough draft that will be heavily edited in the future. My intent originally was to include both the protagonist and antagonist perspectives more fully. However, at this point, that will have to be a future revision/rewrite, just so I can get the story out there.
Anyway, feel free to comment as you read and I'd love to know what you think.
YOU ARE READING
The Departure Protocol
Science FictionWared Ra'Han, a young man in his late teens, finds his world turned upside down when his uncle unexpectedly survives a sacred ritual that every citizen must participate in. Shunned by his future fiancée and under the microscope by those around him...
