The joy of writing this Military SF story is the ease in which some of the stuff just flows when I write it. It should, after all, since I served in the military for almost sixteen years. Between my time with the 3rd ACR and the 101st ABN (AASLT), it's easy to write about dealing with tanks and tracks, sitting in operation briefings, writing the typical military banter, stuff like that.

But I've come to a painful realization as I write something that just flows off my pen.

Not everyone is going to understand what the hell I'm writing about.

So, I have to slow down and think about what will stand on its own and what I'm going to need to explain one way or another. See, if I were to say the SPARTY* and the SPAAG** were putting down suppressive fire on an observation post, unless you had been in the military or were a military buff, most of that would go over the average reader's head. So, at least here in the beginning, I have to force myself to explain some of the concepts and acronyms that just naturally roll off my tongue.

Still, I'm having a ball writing this one. Especially since I'm writing this one sans outline, which is a major step out in faith for me. I'm definitely a plotter, not a pantser. However, this just seems to be flowing, so I figure why argue with what's working.

So, Steel on Target continues to grow. I added another 1352 words to Chapter Two tonight and have our intrepid band of cavalry troopers on the move. Seems like I'll probably be bouncing between Steel on Target and Childhood's Tears until the end of the year. I still need to decide on a writing schedule for the start of the new year, but this seems to work for now.

Oh and by the way:
*SPARTY - Self-propelled Artillery
**SPAAG - Self-propelled Anti-Aircraft Guns