Leaving the Classroom

The title doesn't refer to myself, but rather to my novel-in-progress.  I've decided that sticking the whole thing in a college - and focusing it on the seminar - is too esoteric, for one thing, and too hard to write, for another.  Part of the goal of this novel is to talk about - or, rather, to show - how important dialogue is, but if I only demonstrate that to be the case in the ivory tower of a St. John's-like college, what point have I made, really?

So the so-called "real world" it is.  I'm sure the story will still be philosophical, and I'm sure it'll be esoteric even without the Phaedrus or the Symposium to geek it up.  But this way I hope the characters become more relevant, the conversation more germane, and, above all, the argument for the value of dialogue the more persuasive.

Overall, this is kind of a major shakeup, but I take that to be a good sign.  I knew when I embarked on this endeavor that there would be surprises along the way, that my initial concept would undoubtedly shift.  I just didn't know how.  Looking back, this change was inevitable, but I never would have predicted it, and that convinces me that it's the right one.