@Gareth Parkes Honestly, after reading the opening chapters, I don’t think the issue is the writing quality at all. The whole “painted sky” concept and Elias seeing the first real star genuinely stayed in my head after reading it. The line about “a sky that never surprised you” especially hit hard because it feels deeper than just fiction. It honestly reads like someone trying to process real life, faith, fear, and freedom through storytelling, and that’s probably why it feels human instead of forced. I think you’re being way harder on yourself than readers would be. Have you shown it to anyone outside your close circle yet? I genuinely feel like the right audience would connect with this more than you think.