Writing has developed into an ambiguous term. It could refer to a noun form, meaning actual works, it could be a verb form referring to what I’m doing right now. What started as a simple marriage of pen to paper has given birth to a whole new concept – composition.
So why write? Who is going to read it anyway? Well you are, for one thing. If you’re a Believer like me, I believe God read them. Since I was about thirteen, all of my journal entries have been started, “Dear God,” or “Dear Lord.” Isn’t it cool that he can read all of before I even write them?
The process solidified at thirteen, but began long before that. As a kid, I had trouble sleeping, (not uncommon, some kids do). Rather than get the meds or any other crazy stuff, my mom decided to exercise my imagination.
“What are you going to think about tonight?” She would ask. “What about Cinderella? What happens after the end?”
Well, what does happen after happily ever after? Do we know?
Of course not.
That’s the fun of it.
Cinderella would plan this huge wedding with the help of her future mother-in-law, while fending off the demons produced by her evil step mother. Cinderella’s father would come back from the dead, scare Cinderella’s step mother to death, and then give his daughter his blessing before being called back to the grave.
Well, that’s my version.
As time went on, the imaginary world in my mind expanded. I found myself injecting my alter-ego into film-like adaptations of my dreams, with my unconscious mind acting as the director to say “action” and “cut.” Soon these scenes turned into solid ideas – character became real people like you and I, scenery became as tangible as the grass under my feet. There was only one thing left to do.
Write them down.
At sixteen, I was writing my first book. By the time I was two-thirds of the way down with it, I got an idea for another. Then another. The scenes from different novel ideas would play through my mind at night like scene selection on a DVD. “What am I going to think about tonight? What are my options?”
When I started college I put the brakes on a bit so that I could focus on my studies. The ideas became like fine wine – they only got better with age.
It all sounds crazy, right?
That’s okay. Call me stupid. My system works for me. The novel I started just before college turned into my first book deal, An Angel in the Distance, available in e-book and soon print edition. I never thought I would see this come to fruition, but Amazon reminds me of it every single day.
Bottom line, don’t let anything stop you from reaching your potential. It’s okay to make mistakes. People will be people, not everyone is as sweet as strawberry shortcake. Bad things happen. Chalk it up to experience and let yourself grow into the person you were made to be.