Before Legends of Alehl
I had the original idea for Legends of Alehl around 2008, and began to write down ideas while also setting the foundation for the world and lore. Once I had a few ideas and a general plot, I decided it was time to create the world. The first tangible element I created was the map, and I kept it in one of my journals with a description of the nations important to the initial plot.
As many ideas and passions go, I let this one slip away for some years. I would occasionally come across the map in my journal and think, “I should really start to write this book”. Yet, life was busy and ever-changing. After a few moves, the map was lost from my journal and the story became an afterthought.
Fast forward to 2020. My personal life had finally become more stable, while at the same time the world was reeling with the covid pandemic. Call it a reaction to the pandemic, or more likely, a mid-life crisis, but I began to think about all of the projects I had begun throughout my life and never completed.
I began thinking again about this novel I had never written. Some of my ideas were lost to time, but many still remained. Even though I had lost the map I once created, this was one of the things still etched in my mind. I was able to re-create the map with less effort than I imagined. This time, I used an online tool to create it, and the world came alive once again.
Re-Imagining and Getting Serious
Initially, I had a few ideas that I may incorporate into later novels in the series, however I wanted to narrow the scope of the first book. Establishing the world dynamics and providing a catalyst event to kick-off the series became my main priority.
I wanted the series to be driven by the almost omniscient hand of a global conflict, but centered around the real-to-life characters who were thrust into the center of it all. Before I wrote a single draft, I dove into developing the world around the characters. In my journals, I have detailed the history, geography, religion, and politics of each nation featured in the world of Legends of Alehl. I wanted to make sure that whenever these varied peoples and countries found their way into the dialogue, it would be consistent with how I developed them.
Once I framed the histories and the present conflict, I began to imagine how different types of characters and personalities would react when thrust into the story. I created a few character profiles, similar to what I have posted previously on my website, but in much more detail.
Character Profiles: Natan, Ophir, Petra, & Liora
I did not create a profile for every character before I began to write. Other than Natan and Ophir, most of the profiles were for background characters. For Natan and Ophir, their character arc is central to the plot of the story, so I did create their profiles to help maintain consistency. For some of the background characters, I wanted a clear profile so that I wouldn’t lose track of their role and personality in the midst of writing.
Petra and Liora’s profiles on my website were written post publishing, to introduce the characters as I promote. During writing, Liora, in particular was a character who developed in ways I hadn’t originally planned. At first, I considered her more of a side character, but as I wrote Oracle of the Terebinth, she became one of my favorites, and is even featured as a main character in a later chapter.
Plotting and Writing
After developing the world and the characters, I began to plot out the full narrative for the series. I currently have four books planned. After creating the macro narrative, I started outlining the chapters for Oracle of the Terebinth. Once fully immersed in the overall plot, I began writing.
Oracle of the Terebinth flowed onto the page very quickly at this point. This created a sort of catch-22. On one hand, the ideas poured out as quickly as I could write them down. On the other hand, my first draft was rough! I switched tense in chapter 4 (without realizing it at the time) and never looked back. Interesting story? Yes. Grammatical masterpiece? Hardly.
I could write a whole article on the editing process, but I’ll save most of those details for now. The simple version is this: After multiple rounds of self editing, I looked to outside editors. With the sequel I have adopted a slower writing approach. I’m still trying to get ideas down quickly, but I’m being more deliberate in my writing, and am doing a self-edit of each chapter before continuing.
In the end, editing Oracle of the Terebinth took much longer than actually writing it!
Self-Publishing
If you have ever tried to get a book published, you are well aware of how difficult it is to get a publisher to pick up a first-time author. I have always been a do-it-yourself type of person, so I decided early on that self-publishing would be my path forward. Sure, if my novel gains traction and a publisher is willing to take on the series, I will definitely consider the option if it arises.
For now, I am happy self-publishing. One of the main benefits it provides is that I maintain the full creative vision. This isn’t a knock on publishers, but more of a reflection of where I am as a writer. The freedom is allowing me time to develop my skills without the pressure of a deadline or needing to stay on brand.
As one person, it is difficult to manage the publishing and advertising of my novel while also holding down a full-time day job. On one hand, I fully anticipate the promotion of my novel to be a slow grind. On the other hand, I’m hoping to gain some traction and make this series a success. I plan to have the first draft of the sequel completed by spring of 2026, and my hope is that the additional entry will spark the interest of those like myself who enjoy reading a series.
Grab a Copy Today!
Legends of Alehl: Oracle of the Terebinth is now available on paperback and as an eBook through many retailers. Pick up a copy, and if you have time, please leave a review!
Marek J. Scott 
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