Faith

It's a funny thing. You have to just have blind faith sometimes about some things. Faith that something will work out the way you've been dreaming of. Faith of a promise being fulfilled with absolutely no proof that it'll actually come to pass. Faith that one day, your hurting friends will find peace.

I have to remind myself of these things. Because I can do very little on my own. All in all, I'm a fairly helpless creature.

Thus I have left the ledge and jumped off a cliff. Will I fly? Will I die? Will this be the end of a dream, or only the beginning? Or neither?

The absolutely beautiful, crazy thing is: I'm not worried.

Huh.

Happy writing everyone :)

Currently Rewriting: Unity

Currently Reading: Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet

Currently Listening to: "Stars Burn Down" by Phillips, Craig & Dean

Leaping, Hoping to Fly

Have you ever heard of CreateSpace? Two days ago, I hadn't.


Apparently, as a winner of NaNoWriMo, I can get 5 free copies of my book. Bound, pretty, and with a cover printed and all sorts of professionalism-ness that I'm yearning for.


The catch is, now it's out there for the masses too. Which means...inadvertently, I have unleashed End Game: Genesis into the world. In theory, I could cancel the account once I get my 5 free copies and maybe travel down this road later on in life. Or, I can just let it sit out there as I search for an editor. Does that make sense? Would an editor want someone who already has the book out for the masses through CreateSpace?


Now, almost at 3 in the morning, I find myself in this tangle of emotions. I'm elated and timid and excited and a little worried and a lot unsure. Have I made the right step? Is this where I'm meant to travel? Have I veered off the path I'm meant to stick to, simply because I'm impatient? Or, by some great grace of God, have I, in my terrified stumbling, wandered right where I need to be?


I simply don't know.


However, I'm not going to lie. When that proof comes and I have my book in professional bound-ness, I very well may scream out loud so high in pitch I won't recognize myself.


Currently Writing: Zero Point
Currently Reading: Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet
Currently Listening to: "Lead Me" by Sanctus Real


P.S. - Today is my birthday. Around 7 this morning (only 4 hours away!), I turn 24. Let's hope for another amazing year filled with God's promises and possibly even some unknown adventures.

Inspiration

I think most writers strive for one of a few things: some level of acceptance of their stories (and by extension, themselves), self-actualization, and to inspire others.

At least, that's what I think. The truly greatest writers weren't writing because they wanted to be looked at as the greatest. They were writing stories they liked and they wanted to drive others to do something extraordinary. Even if that extraordinary thing might simply to be to save a seat for someone on a bus. Personally, I really want to inspire people.

I want my stories to make people sit back and go, "That was great. I want to write a story like that/draw a picture based on this/write a song about this/etc." To fuel someone else's creativity would be fantastic. Additionally, if I could help someone realize their talent, well, then that's phenomenal.

Once again, I count myself blessed. See, I've already attained that goal of mine. In a few ways, but among which is that this past weekend, one of my friends gave me a drawing she did based on my book. Then she went into a long talk about how she has all of these other drawings she wants to do of scenes from my books. It's crazy enough that a year ago, she wrote me a poem based on the first book, but to know that she's still becoming inspired to now draw things from the stories...that's just...

Indescribable. It's awesome and wonderful and gives me this great fuzzy feeling. I guess it's what reaching a goal feels like. To arrive at a finish line you didn't really know existed. It was this thing that floated around in space that I knew would be cool, but I never actually assumed it would reach some level of actuality.

I guess I'm just lucky.

In other news, I completed Camp Nano. For the next month, I plan on spending my free time editor hunting. Or...terrifyingly enough, possibly using CreateSpace to self-publish. Oh the possibilities.

Currently Writing: Zero Point
Currently Reading: Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet
Currently Listening to: "Pharaoh's Throne" by LittleKuriboh

One Year Anniversary

On June 18, 2011, I began writing my second book.

I pretty well haven't stopped since then. Since the moment I realized I finished my second book in under two months, I've let my fingers fly across a keyboard at all hours of the night, day and morning. Whenever I have a spare moment, I'm jotting things down. My pen and journal are my best friend when I'm at work on a fifteen minute break.

Now, I told myself a year ago, that I would see how much I could do in a year. Giving myself till June 18, 2012 to see exactly what I could accomplish. It seemed so far away. Yet now here I am. A year (and a few moments), later. 366 days - it was a leap year - warranted me a lot of work done. I think it was profitable.

About two months ago, I told myself I wouldn't count up the number of words I had written in the year. It was this little treat I would give myself when I reached the anniversary of my crazy writing-ness. So at midnight on June 19th (today), I tallied it all up.

5 books. 1 novella. 1 unfinished prequel and a started rewrite of my second book.

The word count, of my first year of crazy writing-ness is...

591,740 words.

...

I'm content.

5 Days and Counting

Camp Nano is underway. So far, I'm off to a flying start.

As of this moment, I'm a little over 20,000 words into the prequel I'm writing. Meanwhile, I'm beginning the arduous search for an Editor. Or agent. Whichever happens to hit me first. I'm nervous, but excited (so I sang a song called, "Nervous, but excited"). It's going to be an interesting journey to travel along. Finding the right place for my books to land will be difficult, but I think I'm prepared for whatever will happen.

Today I got to go swing a broadsword around at a stage combat class my brother is part of. It was really cool to hear metal clash and feel the vibration up my arms as I sparred with my brother. We were super careful not to hit one another (naturally), but still. The thrill of it was something I don't think I'll forget any time soon. If I can afford the classes, I'll be going for the next few weeks to learn all I can about broadsword fighting. Simply 'cause it's cool.

In other news, I've got a job. I walked back into my old Staples store and said I was done school. A few minutes later, my old General Manager had me enlisted for an opening in our Copy Center. Hopefully I'll start in a week or so. You know what that means, right? Me, tying furiously at my computer to get as much work done as possible on my prequel before I start working. Dang. I need new black pants.

Also, in two weeks, I reach my anniversary of the insanity of writing. On June 18th, I started writing my second book. I haven't stopped writing since. I've vowed to myself not to count up how many words I've written until the 19th. Who thinks I can finish my prequel before that time? I'm hopeful.

Happy writing everyone!

Oh, and I got a HubPages. I'll add it to the links on the right.

Currently Editing: Unity
Currently Writing: Zero Point
Currently Reading: Auralia's Colors by Jeffrey Overstreet
Currently Listening to: "Crushcrushcrush" by Paramore