Hello again…so, what happened to the momentum you maybe asking. Well, let me just share that once you start sharing things with others to provide you feedback, things can change. Sometimes, there are small changes and sometimes there are larger changes. For the last few months, the changes have been on the larger side.

Turns out that when you start writing a book with a certain plot and audience in mind and realize that your target audience may not be what you think it is, major changes need to occur, otherwise, you have to figure out your alternative audience.

For about a month, I tried to keep the characters and story that was already there. From some cathartic moments to waiting for some little push from the story itself, nothing was going to help make the story align with the audience I wanted to target. I even rewrote the first two chapters with little twists. Based on some audience feedback, it just didn't align. And, while I would like to say I am writing these stories just for me, I would like to tell a story that is interesting to someone else besides myself. It doesn't need to take off or have best seller vibes, it just has to be interesting.

So, I decided that the audience was were I was drawing my inspiration, so the audience would help tell the story that needed to be told. I wanted to think through what engages the audience when I was in that group. The good thing about having a semi-photographic memory is that I am able to pull from my own experiences and use settings and events to help guide the storyline while adding details about the story itself. It has helped set the stage and keep the intent of the first attempt without impacting the next series.

Where am I now you ask? In the depths of outlining the full story again and reimagining the first chapters. I have gotten through the first third of the book in the first series for the outline. I am also editing the first couple of chapters that I scribbled or rather typed hastily so not to lose the ideas and connect with the characters.

While I have kept the original writings with the hope that I can connect it to another audience at some point, I am excited about where this new storyline will head. It actually connects better to where I was hoping to bring the books together. I also have found that I really like these characters much more than the previous ones. There are more personalities and more points of excitement when introducing the characters.

One other thing that I have learned is that I need some deadlines. For some reason, it helps push the inspiration to actually stop taking a vacation and share a little insight. When I just wait for it, there just seems to be more waiting. That, will be another topic on another day. For now, back to writing!