How do you get to Carnegie Hall?

Practice, man, practice.

I’ve got about 3500 words on my latest short story (wordcount target of no more than 6,000), tentatively titled River Lords, about Keao, a young woman who tries to return to her family after the White Mage and her forces destroy the Hermitage, home of Keao’s masters known as the Jao Naam, and the key to controlling the Yan River. I’ve allowed myself to be more meticulous on the first draft of this story than in writing Shadow of the Black City so the daily work is slower, but the results are more complete.

Focusing on short stories for a bit has done wonders to help me economize my words and write with more clarity (at least in my opinion). I’ve got my eye on a couple more flash fiction contests and more short story ideas as part of working towards writing better. Practicing has never been so much fun.