
The Forge Anvil
Six blows, no more
A book is not made in one blow. It is measured, cast, sounded, scored, reckoned and sealed — in that order, each while the iron is at its true heat. Take up the hammer and you will know the order of a Drakenscroll build by feel, not by reading it.
The Forge AnvilStrike while it is true
A book is not made in one blow. Six blows, in the order this house works them — the Measure, the Cast, the Sound, the Score, the Runtime, the Seal. The hammer swings on its own; you choose the moment. Strike in the bright band. Three flaws and the blade is scrap.
The six blows
- 01
The Measure
The manuscript is weighed — every word counted before a price is spoken.
A film book is 12% of the word count; an audio book is 7%. Nothing is estimated by feel.
- 02
The Cast
Voices are chosen and set against the characters who must carry them.
Voices cost 1% of the word count for every two voices cast.
- 03
The Sound
The world is given weather, doors, blades and breath.
Sound effects cost 1% of the word count for every five effects laid.
- 04
The Score
Music is chosen, cut and mixed to the shape of the story.
The score fee is a flat $1,500 — selection, cutting and mixing of licensed music.
- 05
The Runtime
The finished length is reckoned so the author knows what they will hold.
155 words make one finished minute — 9,300 words make one finished hour, in either vessel.
- 06
The Seal
The Charter is drawn, the terms named, and the iron is quenched.
Pay in full, or choose your terms: Platinum halves, Gold thirds, Silver quarters, Bronze sixths.
The law of the Anvil
- Every blow on this anvil is a real stage of a real build, in the order the house works them.
- The lesson under each blow is this house's published arithmetic — the rates, the runtime law, the terms of sealing. Nothing is invented for play.
- The Anvil is struck entirely in your browser. Nothing is uploaded and nothing is kept.
- Your best forging is remembered on this device alone. There is no board to climb.
When you would rather answer doubts than strike iron, the Dragon's Trial is open. When you want to walk your own novel, the Proving Ground waits.