Writer to Critique Group: "But It Really Happened!"

I've been up for a couple of hours. Wanted to make sure I was really, truly awake before I posted this, because the first time I read it I was sure I was dreaming such a far-fetched, bizarre story. (Oh, to imagine details like that...)

My post originally linked to a short, early morning version of this story -- fragmented and nearly screwball-comic in tone and detail. However. AP has revised the story numerous times since, and MSNBC continues to incorporate these revisions under the original link. The revised details and tone now paint a tragic incident. And they serve as a reminder of how much a writer influences the reader's takeaway by choosing what is written and how it's structured.