Progress

Today I finished outlining Ch 21. Chapters 20 and 21 are both trial chapters. First the trial of the defenders, then the trial of the attackers. In Chapter 22, Lincoln gives one of his first public speeches. I started reading analysis of this speech. It is the culmination of the book. Lincoln was, in real life, changed by these events, though in real life he wasn’t a participant but only an observer. The end of any book should result in change, which gives meaning to the adventures we have been on. After that is an epilogue or conclusion for this book.

I can’t believe I have gotten this far. I had taken a long break from writing to go to school and learn a new career. Then when that was over and I was confident in my new role, I turned back to writing. It was very difficult at first. I was worried that I had lost my gift for writing. It was slow coming back and I started another book first before coming back to the idea for this one. It is an entirely different book than it would’ve been if I’d written it 20 years ago. I scrapped the old outline and laid out a new course. In the meantime, I also wrote a novella based on another Lincoln case.

I’m not writing these in the order in which Lincoln lived them but in the order in which they grab my imagination, and they seem important to write. Certain tales just seem important to tell, so they are not forgotten. Others may write about them too, but I feel I have a unique take on it. Each of us does because we each have a unique voice that belongs to us alone. A dozen people could all sit down to write the same story but it would be different with each person’s telling.

Happy reading and writing to you all!