v1.3.1: Remove rigidity from chapter counts, beats, word lengths, and bridge chapters

story.py — create_chapter_plan():
- TARGET_CHAPTERS is now a guideline (±15%) not a hard constraint; the AI
  can produce a count that fits the story rather than forcing a specific number
- Word scaling is now pacing-aware instead of uniform: Very Fast ≈ 60% of avg,
  Fast ≈ 80%, Standard ≈ 100%, Slow ≈ 125%, Very Slow ≈ 150%
- Two-pass normalisation: pacing weights applied first, then the total is
  nudged to the word target — natural variation preserved throughout
- Variance range tightened to ±8% (was ±10%) for more predictable totals
- Prompt now tells the AI that estimated_words should reflect pacing rhythm

story.py — expand():
- Added event ceiling (target_chapters × 1.5): if the outline already has
  enough beats, the pass switches from "add events" to "enrich descriptions"
  — prevents over-dense outlines for short stories and flash fiction
- Task instruction is dynamically chosen: add-events vs deepen-descriptions
- Clarified that original user beats must be preserved but new events must
  each be distinct and spread evenly (not front-loaded)

story.py — refinement loop:
- Word count constraint softened from hard "do not condense" to
  "~N words ±20% acceptable if the scene demands it" so action chapters
  can run short and introspective chapters can run long naturally

main.py — bridge chapter insertion:
- Removed hardcoded 1500-word estimate for dynamically inserted bridge
  chapters; now computes the average estimated_words from the current
  chapter plan so bridge chapters match the book's natural chapter length

Co-Authored-By: Claude Sonnet 4.6 <noreply@anthropic.com>

config.py

@@ -65,4 +65,4 @@ LENGTH_DEFINITIONS = {
 }
 
 # --- SYSTEM ---
-VERSION = "1.3.0"
+VERSION = "1.3.1"

main.py

@@ -213,12 +213,17 @@ def process_book(bp, folder, context="", resume=False, interactive=False):
                 pacing = story.check_pacing(bp, summary, txt, ch, remaining, folder)
                 if pacing and pacing.get('status') == 'add_bridge':
                     new_data = pacing.get('new_chapter', {})
+                    # Estimate bridge chapter length from current plan average (not hardcoded)
+                    if chapters:
+                        avg_words = int(sum(c.get('estimated_words', 1500) for c in chapters) / len(chapters))
+                    else:
+                        avg_words = 1500
                     new_ch = {
                         "chapter_number": ch['chapter_number'] + 1,
                         "title": new_data.get('title', 'Bridge Chapter'),
                         "pov_character": new_data.get('pov_character', ch.get('pov_character')),
                         "pacing": "Slow",
-                        "estimated_words": 1500,
+                        "estimated_words": avg_words,
                         "beats": new_data.get('beats', [])
                     }
                     chapters.insert(i+1, new_ch)

modules/story.py

@@ -261,27 +261,38 @@ def plan_structure(bp, folder):
 def expand(events, pass_num, target_chapters, bp, folder):
     utils.log("ARCHITECT", f"Expansion pass {pass_num} | Current Beats: {len(events)} | Target Chaps: {target_chapters}")
 
-    beats_context = []
+    # If events already well exceed the target, only deepen descriptions — don't add more
+    event_ceiling = int(target_chapters * 1.5)
+    if len(events) >= event_ceiling:
+        task = (
+            f"The outline already has {len(events)} beats for a {target_chapters}-chapter book — do NOT add more events. "
+            f"Instead, enrich each existing beat's description with more specific detail: setting, characters involved, emotional stakes, and how it connects to what follows."
+        )
+    else:
+        task = (
+            f"Expand the outline toward {target_chapters} chapters. "
+            f"Current count: {len(events)} beats. "
+            f"Add intermediate events to fill pacing gaps, deepen subplots, and ensure character arcs are visible. "
+            f"Do not overshoot — aim for {target_chapters} to {event_ceiling} total events."
+        )
 
-    if not beats_context:
-        beats_context = bp.get('plot_beats', [])
+    original_beats = bp.get('plot_beats', [])
 
     prompt = f"""
     ROLE: Story Architect
-    TASK: Expand the outline to fit a {target_chapters}-chapter book.
-    CURRENT_COUNT: {len(events)} beats.
+    TASK: {task}
 
-    INPUT_OUTLINE:
-    {json.dumps(beats_context)}
+    ORIGINAL_USER_BEATS (must all remain present):
+    {json.dumps(original_beats)}
 
     CURRENT_EVENTS:
     {json.dumps(events)}
 
     RULES:
-    1. Detect pacing gaps.
-    2. Insert intermediate events.
-    3. Deepen subplots.
-    4. PRESERVE original beats.
+    1. PRESERVE all original user beats — do not remove or alter them.
+    2. New events must serve a clear narrative purpose (tension, character, world, reversal).
+    3. Avoid repetitive events — each beat must be distinct.
+    4. Distribute additions evenly — do not front-load the outline.
 
     OUTPUT_FORMAT (JSON): {{ "events": [{{"description": "String", "purpose": "String"}}] }}
     """
@@ -322,12 +333,17 @@ def create_chapter_plan(events, bp, folder):
 
     prompt = f"""
     ROLE: Pacing Specialist
-    TASK: Group events into Chapters.
+    TASK: Group the provided events into chapters for a {meta.get('genre', 'Fiction')} {bp['length_settings'].get('label', 'novel')}.
 
-    CONSTRAINTS:
-    - TARGET_CHAPTERS: {target}
-    - TARGET_WORDS: {words}
-    - INSTRUCTIONS:
+    GUIDELINES:
+    - AIM for approximately {target} chapters, but the final count may vary ±15% if the story structure demands it.
+      (e.g. a tightly plotted thriller may need fewer; an epic with many subplots may need more.)
+    - TARGET_WORDS for the whole book: {words}
+    - Assign pacing to each chapter: Very Fast / Fast / Standard / Slow / Very Slow
+      Reflect dramatic rhythm — action scenes run fast, emotional beats run slow.
+    - estimated_words per chapter should reflect its pacing:
+      Very Fast ≈ 60% of average, Fast ≈ 80%, Standard ≈ 100%, Slow ≈ 125%, Very Slow ≈ 150%
+    - Do NOT force equal word counts. Natural variation makes the book feel alive.
     {structure_instructions}
     {pov_instruction}
 
@@ -340,6 +356,7 @@ def create_chapter_plan(events, bp, folder):
         utils.log_usage(folder, ai.model_logic.name, response.usage_metadata)
         plan = json.loads(utils.clean_json(response.text))
 
+        # Parse target word count
         target_str = str(words).lower().replace(',', '').replace('k', '000').replace('+', '').replace(' ', '')
         target_val = 0
         if '-' in target_str:
@@ -352,16 +369,31 @@ def create_chapter_plan(events, bp, folder):
             except: pass
 
         if target_val > 0:
-            variance = random.uniform(0.90, 1.10)
+            variance = random.uniform(0.92, 1.08)
             target_val = int(target_val * variance)
-            utils.log("ARCHITECT", f"Target adjusted with variance ({variance:.2f}x): {target_val} words.")
+            utils.log("ARCHITECT", f"Word target after variance ({variance:.2f}x): {target_val} words.")
 
             current_sum = sum(int(c.get('estimated_words', 0)) for c in plan)
             if current_sum > 0:
-                factor = target_val / current_sum
-                utils.log("ARCHITECT", f"Adjusting chapter lengths by {factor:.2f}x to match target.")
+                base_factor = target_val / current_sum
+                # Pacing multipliers — fast chapters are naturally shorter, slow chapters longer
+                pacing_weight = {
+                    'very fast': 0.60, 'fast': 0.80, 'standard': 1.00,
+                    'slow': 1.25, 'very slow': 1.50
+                }
+                # Two-pass: apply pacing weights then normalise to hit total target
                 for c in plan:
-                    c['estimated_words'] = int(c.get('estimated_words', 0) * factor)
+                    pw = pacing_weight.get(c.get('pacing', 'standard').lower(), 1.0)
+                    c['estimated_words'] = max(300, int(c.get('estimated_words', 0) * base_factor * pw))
+
+                # Normalise to keep total close to target
+                adjusted_sum = sum(c['estimated_words'] for c in plan)
+                if adjusted_sum > 0:
+                    norm = target_val / adjusted_sum
+                    for c in plan:
+                        c['estimated_words'] = max(300, int(c['estimated_words'] * norm))
+
+                utils.log("ARCHITECT", f"Chapter lengths scaled by pacing. Total ≈ {sum(c['estimated_words'] for c in plan)} words across {len(plan)} chapters.")
 
         return plan
     except Exception as e:
@@ -785,7 +817,7 @@ def write_chapter(chap, bp, folder, prev_sum, tracking=None, prev_content=None):
         {history_str}
 
         HARD_CONSTRAINTS:
-        - TARGET_WORDS: ~{est_words} (maintain this length — do not condense or summarise)
+        - TARGET_WORDS: ~{est_words} words (aim for this; ±20% is acceptable if the scene genuinely demands it — but do not condense beats to save space)
         - BEATS MUST BE COVERED: {json.dumps(chap.get('beats', []))}
         - SUMMARY CONTEXT: {prev_sum[:1500]}