Development of “If I Were a Worm”

Apr 18

Original draft: Chapter ???: If You Were a Worm… — A.C.E. of C.A.R.D.S.

SEPTEMBER 2026

9/3/26 Re-wrote the general concept again with clearer focus – sent to Editor

“This story starts with A.C.E. discovering that Dicer has been turned into a worm and will be stuck like that for the next few days. A.C.E. is shocked and a bit irritated, and Dicer worries that A.C.E. doesn't really like him and is inconvenienced by him because even though they've been together for a while, A.C.E. hasn't changed his behavior much, and Dicer keeps bringing him trouble.

But A.C.E. embraces the new situation and actually shows extraordinary care, going above and beyond for worm-Dicer: finding food he can eat, transporting him in a terrarium when on patrol and in meetings, setting up a comfortable little bed for worm-Dicer, and so on.

The days go by as A.C.E. tries to conduct business as usual while including worm-Dicer as much as he can and treating Dicer as if he were human as much as possible.

But after a few days, Dicer worries that he has not turned back yet. A.C.E. reassures Dicer that he would take care of him even if he were to be stuck as a worm forever. But he also says he misses Dicer, and jokes that non-worm-Dicer should hurry back to him.

That night, after A.C.E. falls asleep, Dicer turns back into his human self. He's startled but retains all his worm-memories, and as Dicer watches A.C.E. sleep, he thinks about the remarkable kindness and acceptance A.C.E. showed him as a worm. He realizes it must be true that A.C.E. loves him.

Dicer accepts that even if A.C.E. may not say so out loud, he shows his love though his actions, and perhaps that is quite enough.

He hugs A.C.E. and settles back to sleep, happy to hold him again. As he drifts off, Dicer hopes they can stay together because he is happy to be with A.C.E.”

9/5/26 Talked with my Mom/ English Editor about it on the car ride home from Denver (6 hours)

9/14/26 Got sick – coughing lasting a month low on energy.

9/17/26 Finished drawing the first draft: https://drive.google.com/file/d/18WSGpJcMYuVmTwwPCqv7kk8lrJnCeSew/view?usp=sharing

9/18/26 Sent out draft for general critique – Received the following critique from Chgu and Checkers from KMA server and Editor.

+Rework begining to introduce idea of abilities early
+In this new begining, move Dicer s worm self up to the front and have the reaction to him be telling
+ In the different beginning - also maybe work in some of A.C.E. and Dicer's history so it is more clear that the two have a problem to solve
potentially cut out other people, it can just be A.C.E. and Dicer.
-cut the 1-2 person POV shift
-get rid of the parentheses in Dicers text
+Change the font, or the bubble to differentiate his Text
+Pages: general - highlight important panels by sizing priority where it hasn’t been done
+First double spread -
Nearly every reader has found this double page confusing potentially needs panel priority and overhaul
Swap some character interactions with shots that don't need context - characters we don't know are a confusing.
Also since the location are different use backgrounds in them to make it more clear the location shift
More backgrounds in general
on the time skips, see if there are more ways to dipict these
+-modify text in apple panel to have Dicers text too, not Just A.C.E.s or nix diologue for space
Puzzle piece page - unclear- clean up so text order has a priority
potentially switch out the collage for something lighter
-consider less full body Dicer images before the impactful scene - to that this remains the highlight
for the end - consider A.C.E. waking up
(If he does wake up he can get his hug - but I might have to rework dialogue)

Overhauled draft: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-1Nho0uy__fwla-FqEw7wKGzGQ2a_Nt_/view?usp=sharing

9/28/26 Received critique from Mom:

Suggestions to make the connection between A.C.E. and Dicer stronger – more of a transcendent type of love

9/29/26 Received critique Bo:

Edits for clarity over bubble placement/ legibility and for “new to reader” interactions
Some on text
A bit of continuum things like making the terrarium be more or less used.

Revised draft for the above edits: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ovWs-XQfYFvTHltzhEVbqVhrBsQTVTFl/view?usp=sharing

OCTOBER

10/9/26 Finished rendering the first page for final

10/9/26 Got mega sick with allergies and a virus on top of the coughing from the first sickness– incapacitated for a week

10/13/26 Added bridge page

Current draft: https://drive.google.com/file/d/10G7zkkj_pscDrNeZZtK7n0-VA2vkDsmH/view?usp=sharing

10/17/26 Started working on flowers for background: Instagram

10/18/26 Returned home from being sick

10/20/26 first day of feeling mostly normal in over a month

10/25/26 Got distracted by Halloween full art: A.C.E. C.A.R.D. — A.C.E. of C.A.R.D.S.

10/25/26 resumed lining