I am 30,000 words into my NanoWrimo project, “The Day Peter Died,” my Peter Pan retelling, which I described a few weeks ago. The goal is to finish 1000 words each day, from October 12th to November 30th, which adds up to 50,000 words total.

It’s been excellent fun, especially because I’ve been writing in short novellas rather than a fulllength novel. I took inspiration from quite a few stories I had read previously and have since chosen a few more to guide my project.

I.

J. M. Barrie’s Peter and Wendy was originally published as a play in 1904, though I listened to it on Audible and read it online. I noted quite a few differences than what I remembered or what has been accepted into the general zeitgeist. For example, Peter Pan is younger than I generally remember, he harms his own Lost Boys as much as anyone else, and the entire story is a bit absurdist in its telling. All things that I intend to use in my version.

II.

A Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, published in 2017, was a fun YA adventure through Historical Europe with a gay flop of a boy hopelessly in love with his best friend.

The tone reminds me of Gideon the Ninth, as the snarky protagonst bites off more than he can chew, makes bad choices, drinks, lies, and befriends pirates in a perfectly likeable manner.

III.

Master and Commander is a 1800s naval masterpiece, originally published in 1969, which was turned into a film with Russell Crowe in 2003.

With incredible accuracy to ship maintanence, operation, and combat encounters, the story is a bit different from a lot of modern comparisons.

The most notable mention being that the characters all exhibit realistic flaws rather than being dramatic caricatures to capture attention.

With a pirate playlist made up of good old Shanties and a head full of pirate fancy, I am so excited for the way this project is turning out.

I will have some samples soon, especially if I can keep up my goal.