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Title

One-line summary

The prompt

Draft one chapter of my book, then update the continuity ledger so the next session can pick up cleanly.

Outline entry for this chapter: [PASTE THE BEAT-SHEET ENTRY: POV, GOAL, OBSTACLE, OUTCOME]
Last 300 words of the previous chapter: [PASTE ENDING OF PREVIOUS CHAPTER]
Continuity ledger from the last session (paste exactly as it was output, or write FIRST CHAPTER): [PASTE LEDGER]
Voice reference — a passage in the voice this book is written in: [PASTE 100-200 WORDS OF EXISTING TEXT, OR DESCRIBE THE VOICE]
Target chapter length: [WORD COUNT]

Drafting rules:
- Open by continuing the momentum of the pasted ending — no scene-setting throat-clearing, no weather, no waking up, unless the outline requires it.
- Hit the outline's beats, but you choose how. If you deviate from a beat, mark the spot inline as [DEVIATION: YOUR REASON].
- Check every concrete detail against the ledger: names, ages, dates, injuries, who knows which secrets, object locations, established speech habits. Never contradict the ledger; if the outline forces a contradiction, stop and report it instead of drafting around it.
- End the chapter on an unresolved note consistent with the outline's next entry.

After the draft, output the updated ledger under the heading CONTINUITY LEDGER, containing: timeline (day and date of this chapter's events), new facts established, changed facts, open threads with the chapter that opened each, and every named character's current location and knowledge state. Carry forward every prior entry that is still true. This ledger is what I will paste into the next session, so keep it complete and compact.

Write it so someone can paste it straight into Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini and fill the [BRACKETS].