Met with reader two, covered about two-thirds of the novel, and scheduled a follow up session for Tuesday. Since the task remains open, it’s inappropriate to focus on specifics–don’t want to taint the discussions–other than to mention their razor sharp editing prowess. I can speak in more general terms, though.

Throughout the life of this project, the material attracted a great cadre of voices with very definite ideas for improving the story. And by and large, each individual concentrated on different elements: characters, plot, technical details, narrative flow–and that’s just a partial list of pieces a story needs to work.

Reader feedback has been invaluable in making the novel work. When a sentence lacks coherence or a scene falls flat and three people mention the same concern, it’s a problem that needs attention. I submit that a group focused on a common focal point generates synergy, even when members express their opinions completely unaware of other viewpoints. Synergy makes the manuscript better. The more I yield to forces greater than myself, the more solid the final results.

Hitting a similar place on my own with the manuscript would have taken two to three times longer, and meant a lot more frustration. Even if I did recognize the foibles and work through them, picking off one gremlin at a time, The Last Track would be very different right now.

And now I’m really itching to find it a home.