As a kid, one memory I recall with a smile is my “comic book business”. I created a whole bunch of comics and sold them for twenty dollars a pop. My dad was obliging enough to print off my comics. Otherwise, I couldn’t have made it past a single sale (to my grandma, of course). Even then, I probably only sold 5-10 copies to friends and family. No surprise that a seven year old’s amalgamations of already-existing characters, sloppily stitched together no less, didn’t rock the world. Creativity is a muscle that needs stretching like everything else.
Still, the fact that other people were reading my work was just so cool to me, and I knew right then what I wanted to do with my life. So, I put pen to paper and worked. I continued comics for awhile, before I realized that I ought to focus on writing more than art if I wanted to get anywhere.
I finished my first novel draft in tenth grade. I spent another two years editing the daylights out of it, and I realized that I had a profound problem. All those stories in my head, with their colorful characters and flashing lights and gravitas, just weren’t making their way to paper. So, I put aside that first novel and worked on another. And another. And another. Inching closer and closer to the worlds that played out in my head.
Years later, I'm excited to introduce the types of stories to the world that I've always wanted to read.
As far as my writing goes, that’s the “how”. I’ve still got to answer the “why”. In college, I recall a writing discussion panel I witnessed. The professors and authors were discussing the effect of writing. Did the written word, particularly works of fiction, really influence people’s opinions? Could they really have a lasting effect on someone?
I know they had an effect on me. Growing up, one of my chief enjoyments was reading Spider-man comics, and I did everything I could to emulate Peter Parker. His persistence, his kindness, his empathy. I know for a fact what I read in those books influenced who I am today.
I don’t dream of having that same impact on another person. Still, I don’t think someone’s life needs to have a one-eighty or some epiphany for what they read to be important. If someone reads a book of mine, spends a couple hours in a world with characters they like, and perhaps is reminded of a value they hold dear, I’ve accomplished every goal I hope for. In a world rife with negativity, some positivity, even if it is small and fleeting, is a worthwhile pursuit.
Thanks for checking out my website, and hopefully soon my work; I appreciate it, with true sincerity.