The toll bridge
Write for ten minutes. A gatekeeper demands the one possession your protagonist promised to return. End the passage when someone names a price.
A NaNoWriMo writing crawl through the Six Gates
Follow an original fantasy route through six writing sprints. Take your own cast, choose a fork and record each stop on a printable route sheet.
Give a short session an ending
Take one character to the bridge
A crawl breaks one writing session into playable stops. Choose the short route if you have twenty minutes. Bank the rest for tomorrow.
Inside the worksheet
The two roads
If your character pays, write 150 words about the stranger who recognizes the object. If they lie, write 150 words about the witness who heard the promise.
The last gate
Carry one sentence from the bridge into the final confrontation. Give the character a second chance to pay the same price and show how their answer has changed.
Try one session
Choose your route
Play stops 1, 2 and 6 for the short route, or visit all six stops for the full route.
Record your opening count
Choose the character who must cross the bridge. Write their price on the route sheet.
Count the words you keep
At the last gate, subtract your opening count and underline a line you can carry forward.
Choose an approach
Give a short session an ending
| Capability | Short route | Full route |
|---|---|---|
| When it fits | Write the bridge, one fork and the final gate. | Visit all six stops and record the words gained at each. |
| Route | Bridge, salt road, last gate | All six stops, including bell tower, market and ferry |
| Good stopping point | After the first consequential choice | After the final choice echoes the opening |
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a fantasy manuscript?
No. Move the bridge to a hospital desk, an airport gate or a family kitchen. Keep the choice, the cost and the witness.
KEEP READING
Take one character to the bridge
Start a timer or use the word target. Count only the words you add to your own manuscript.