However long ago, nearly two years I'd guess without looking, I put aside my story titled "Felled" at one point and "The Letter From William Waklin" later on. At the time I had reservations about a few things related to the story. As I worked through my original story arc, I continued to read about and learn what made for successful and unsuccessful stories: pacing, characterization, consistency in POV, etc. Very early on, I found I was not ready for this story. I had much more to learn, more stories to write, more hours in front of the keyboard.

In the last two(ish) years, I wrote a number of short stories, a very nearly complete adult novella and a complete youth novella. Also in that time, I entered at least ten flash fiction contests. From the time I abandoned what I often call my "head-on-a-stump" story to now, I have evolved into a much more proficient writer (if, admittedly, not more prolific).

So I have taken the time since Chris Roberson's presentation to the San Antonio Writers Guild to work on a very detailed outline of the events in this newest iteration. I very much like the direction I'm headed now.

Due to the shortcomings of the first three drafts, I kept a keen eye out for solutions to any problems that killed each of them. I feel safe that I won't fall into the same holes as before. I'm confident there are more, new holes out there to fall into though, so I'm not going into this sleepwalking (or "somnambulating" as Joe McKinney wrote in Dead City).

This morning I sat at Starbucks and made terrific progress on an opening passage I had been massaging for a week. I had originally written the passage from one character's perspective. Last night, unable to sleep due to the idea bugs swarming around in my head, I realized I could solve two shortcomings of the section by telling it from the perspective of other person involved. So far, the novel-length work will have three main sections, each with a different POV and this new beginning, ending/section from yet another, forth POV.

Handling the story in this way will be a challenge, but I'm looking forward to it to be sure.