Thanks to some critical feedback, I’ve decided to make another major change to the focus of the novel. Originally the story switched back and forth between the real life conflicts of the Dreamers and their adventures in the Land of Nou. But it became unwieldy – Poguri’s story (he is the main character lest I forget) was being obscured.

So then I decided to focus more on Maddie, as developing one character more thoroughly gave the story more focus than delving into the personal details of six or so. But as is my tendency, I tried to stuff too much “other stuff” into the novel that didn’t belong, such as some of my real life passions around certain social issues. I vowed from the start that Land of Nou would not be any sort of social commentary, but as I continued to write out Maddie’s story, that’s exactly what it was becoming.

And this created a schism between the Waking and the Dreaming, and a the problem of Maddie’s story having very little to do with the overall conflict in the Land of Nou.  Lest I forget, the story is called Land of Nou!  Now I have decided that the dreamers will be introduced as they were originally – their dreams opening paths to the Land of Nou – but that from there the setting will remain in the Land of Nou, and not delve into the Dreamers’ Waking narratives at all.  There will be a strong Waking component – something I cannot reveal – but it is directly relevant to the conflict in the Land of Nou, which makes for a more focused story.  With this decision I have been able to resume writing, although the going is still slow.  But one word at a time is better than no words at all.