The curious thing...the interesting thing...is that in just about
everything I've ever written, yes, I generally follow where I want to go,
end up where I want to end up, but once I get *into* it, once the
characters come alive on the page, I inevitably find better ways of doing
things, stronger and more muscular paths to the story, more interesting
side roads.

Also, this original story was worked out in 1986/87; that's nearly ten
years ago. In those ten years, I've become -- or like to think I've
become -- a better writer, learned more, written more, picked up some new
tools I didn't have then. So you have a situation where the writer in
1996 looks at the writer in 1986 and says, "No, listen...there's a better
way. Yes, we'll still get to Disneyland on time, you'll still have plenty
of time to ride the haunted mansion...but if we go *this* way, we can stop
off and also see Knotts Berry Farm, and the Winchester Mystery Mansion,
and maybe even Hearst Castle on the way."

The destination is still the same..but I've found a *lot* more interesting
ways of getting there. Which, after all, is what an outline is for: a
safe home base that allows you to wander off, knowing that you can always
return to it if you get lost.


jms