January has been a mixed month — productive in some areas, frustrating in others.

The broad picture hasn’t changed: Pegged — exists as a full manuscript in structure and intent. But the reality is more uneven. While Acts I and II feel increasingly solid, Act III is still resisting. There has been progress — real progress — but composing its final shape has proven harder than expected.

This report is not just about what’s working, but also about where the work still pushes back.

Writing Status

Acts I & II

Structurally stable and increasingly confident.

Character voices are consistent.

Act III

This is where the struggle sits.

The arc is clear. The stakes are defined. The ending exists conceptually.

But the composition itself is slow. I have to learn to render (sometimes violent) action.

Act III isn’t just about escalation — it’s about consequence, aftermath, and meaning. Getting that balance right without tipping into spectacle has taken longer than anticipated.

Some scenes are drafted, others rewritten multiple times. Nothing is broken — but nothing is rushed either. At this point, writing is less about adding pages and more about finding the right pressure.

In search of inspiration I have read two books I can recommend:

FOUCAULT'S PENDULUM by Umberto Eco. A classic, "an intellectual adventure story, as sensational, thrilling, and packed with arcana as Raiders of the Lost Ark or The Count of Monte Cristo" (The Washington Post Book World).

THE MANDIBLES: A Family, 2029-2047 is a 2016 novel by American author Lionel Shriver. It is far from being a literary masterpiece, but it's an interesting depiction of the consequences of a monetary collapse.

Special Focus: the #PEG Engine Specification

Alongside the novel, I’ve spent a significant amount of time working on the #PEG Engine Specification — and this has been unexpectedly grounding.

It matters, it forces precision when the narrative is still fluid, and keeps Pegged from becoming symbolic or vague.

It anchors the story in something that behaves like a real system.

You can consult the latest version of the #PEG Engine Specification here: https://accidentalx.github.io/The_%23PEG_Engine_Specification_v0.1.0.pdf

In a strange way, the #peg spec has been a stabilizer while the fiction remains unstable — and that’s exactly what it’s meant to be.

A Word About pFalse Shortcuts

This phase of the project has also highlighted something less comfortable.

When a manuscript reaches this stage — close to complete but not yet resolved — motivation becomes vulnerable.

This is the stage where it’s tempting to hand the work over.

It’s also the stage where that would be a mistake.

Why Support Matters

I’m still actively looking for a literary agent.

Not someone to “fix” the book, but someone who understands that this is not a conventional thriller, and shouldn’t be treated as one. Someone comfortable with ambiguity and density.

At this point, support from readers matters more than it might appear.

Not hype — but encouragement, perspective, and the occasional reminder that the struggle is part of the work, not a sign of failure.

If you know people in publishing who might be curious rather than defensive about a project like this, I’m always open to conversations.

Looking Ahead

February will be about:

continuing the slow work on Act III,

resisting premature closure,

refining the #peg specification alongside the narrative,

and keeping the project alive without forcing it into false momentum.

Nothing is finished yet.

But nothing is abandoned either.

> “Some systems don’t resist because they’re wrong — they resist because they’re unfinished.” — Alias

Thank you for following this project closely enough to care about the messy parts too.

Ava

January has been a mixed month — productive in some areas, frustrating in others.

The broad picture hasn’t changed: Pegged — exists as a full manuscript in structure and intent. But the reality is more uneven. While Acts I and II feel increasingly solid, Act III is still resisting. There has been progress — real progress — but composing its final shape has proven harder than expected.

This report is not just about what’s working, but also about where the work still pushes back.

Writing Status

Acts I & II

Structurally stable and increasingly confident.

Character voices are consistent.

Act III

This is where the struggle sits.

The arc is clear. The stakes are defined. The ending exists conceptually.

But the composition itself is slow. I have to learn to render (sometimes violent) action.

Act III isn’t just about escalation — it’s about consequence, aftermath, and meaning. Getting that balance right without tipping into spectacle has taken longer than anticipated.

Some scenes are drafted, others rewritten multiple times. Nothing is broken — but nothing is rushed either. At this point, writing is less about adding pages and more about finding the right pressure.

In search of inspiration I have read two books I can recommend:

FOUCAULT'S PENDULUM by Umberto Eco. A classic, "an intellectual adventure story, as sensational, thrilling, and packed with arcana as Raiders of the Lost Ark or The Count of Monte Cristo" (The Washington Post Book World).

THE MANDIBLES: A Family, 2029-2047 is a 2016 novel by American author Lionel Shriver. It is far from being a literary masterpiece, but it's an interesting depiction of the consequences of a monetary collapse.

Special Focus: the #PEG Engine Specification

Alongside the novel, I’ve spent a significant amount of time working on the #PEG Engine Specification — and this has been unexpectedly grounding.

It matters, it forces precision when the narrative is still fluid, and keeps Pegged from becoming symbolic or vague.

It anchors the story in something that behaves like a real system.

You can consult the latest version of the #PEG Engine Specification here: https://accidentalx.github.io/The_%23PEG_Engine_Specification_v0.1.0.pdf

In a strange way, the #peg spec has been a stabilizer while the fiction remains unstable — and that’s exactly what it’s meant to be.

A Word About pFalse Shortcuts

This phase of the project has also highlighted something less comfortable.

When a manuscript reaches this stage — close to complete but not yet resolved — motivation becomes vulnerable.

This is the stage where it’s tempting to hand the work over.

It’s also the stage where that would be a mistake.

Why Support Matters

I’m still actively looking for a literary agent.

Not someone to “fix” the book, but someone who understands that this is not a conventional thriller, and shouldn’t be treated as one. Someone comfortable with ambiguity and density.

At this point, support from readers matters more than it might appear.

Not hype — but encouragement, perspective, and the occasional reminder that the struggle is part of the work, not a sign of failure.

If you know people in publishing who might be curious rather than defensive about a project like this, I’m always open to conversations.

Looking Ahead

February will be about:

continuing the slow work on Act III,

resisting premature closure,

refining the #peg specification alongside the narrative,

and keeping the project alive without forcing it into false momentum.

Nothing is finished yet.

But nothing is abandoned either.

> “Some systems don’t resist because they’re wrong — they resist because they’re unfinished.” — Alias

Thank you for following this project closely enough to care about the messy parts too.

Ava