Fiction writing is pure fantasy; stories created and shaped by the author. It contains fantastical happenings and characters that defy the gravity of real world elements. Fiction contains ideas, thoughts and feelings that are scripted to achieve an outcome that is only limited by the imagination of the writer. For most of us, fiction is the world we would chose to live in, but nonfiction is our reality.
In less than one month my life has changed. I’ve been transported from my world of known reality and into an amazing new world. A world that promises to fulfill my dreams. A world I would never have believed existed.
All too often we settle in our lives. We force ourselves to believe we are happy when we are clearly complacent, and are only accepting our current fate. Fiction writing breaks those boundaries, so why shouldn’t we do the same? Take the time in your life to understand what makes you happy, truly and completely happy, then make the changes you need to obtain it.
Fiction is the world we would choose to live in, so why not strive to achieve it as your reality? You deserve it.
Artists, of all forms, are a uniquely engineered breed long separated from our less creative counterparts. They know it because we can hear it in their whispers. We know it, because it’s who we are; it’s the lives we live every day.
The arts had largely eluded me for most of my life. Creative endeavors of all types had sought me out, but for reasons unknown I refused to acknowledge their calls. Three years ago I hesitantly tinkered with devices of creativity, and now I’m co-owner of a gaming company, write, and dabble in photography and digital art. I’ve transformed into a creative cyborg of sorts, holding on to what I’ve long known while slowly adapting to my artistic upgrades.
As an organism from both existences, I have a perspective of how each lives. For a sizable portion of my professional life I worked in positions where it was expected that you keep secrets to stay ahead. Your knowledge was your personal key to success, and sharing it could block you from reaching your goals – a risk most people, including myself, weren’t willing to take.
Artists possess a sincere willingness to help others succeed. I’ve witnessed it countless times and in situations where it would be considered “aiding your competition”. There’s a powerful sense of unification in the artist community, and a selfless eagerness to promote others.
There are multiple reasons for this difference, including diverse personalities, work climates, competitive business practices, the nature of professional pursuits and countless others. And, as with anything in life, nothing’s a constant. However, I find it refreshing that there’s an adoptive community that’s largely willing to share with, and aid others. It’s uplifting and inspirational. It’s an upgrade I wish I had adopted years ago.
The last four days at Gary Con were nothing short of fantastic, offering much needed fun and relaxation while helping to kindle my creative fire. It’s conventions like these that remind me of people’s passions for fantasy and science fiction. Where imaginations are everything and reality, for the shortest of times, is checked at the door.
This is the reason I started to write, took up co-ownership of Notting Hill Games and toy with digital art. My goal has never been to strike it rich with any of my creative projects, rather reach an audience that would enjoy my work and the worlds I create. To entertain people by sharing my love for science fiction. That would be a much bigger payoff than any number of digits you can place on a check.
Professionally I’ve made a minute dent in the IT world by helping guide and mentor employees to bigger and better things. As small of an accomplishment as that may be I still made a difference, and
for that I derive some pride and satisfaction. But my goal, my hope, is that one day I can reach out to people through my writing and give them a creative escape. Give them something they can enjoy, and something I can be proud of.
In IT I’ll never be the next Steve Jobs, and I’m not likely to become the next Ray Bradbury of science fiction writing. But even if a handful people love what I create, I’ll be happy knowing I made a difference.
Thanks for reading.
I’ve always been drawn to novels and movies that incorporate elements of darkness and despair. Don’t get me wrong. I like an occasional “happily ever after” and “ride off into the sunset” laugh, smile and hug each other story, just not all the time. So what do I enjoy most? Stories that incorporate hard decisions and insurmountable challenges faced by flawed protagonists that are decisively human. I love characters in which I can draw some parallel to my life. Enter the antihero.
Please let me clarify. I’m not hell-bent on revenge, uncaring or lacking a conscious. But yet, the antihero is my hero. A man or woman that’s true to the world we live in. Not too often, if at all, do you encounter someone who carries such strong paladinistic (yeah, I just made up a word – that license comes with my blog) qualities and convictions. By nature we’re all flawed, make mistakes and are at
times self-absorbed and occasionally driven by a less than virtuous goal. We’re human. We’re antiheros.
Depth is added to a story when you can identify with the protagonist, sympathize with their pain and understand their actions. When they are like you and me. Sometimes the antihero can make you uncomfortable with a cringe worthy action then have you rooting for them only moments later. They make tough choices we can identify with then reap the rewards or suffer the consequences from those decisions.
I’m a sci-fi geek and lover of anything action, adventure and fantasy. Without the slightest pause I can generate a list of memorable male and female antiheros such as: Han Solo, Roland Deschain, Number 6 (BSG), Harry Callahan, Lisbeth Salander, Wolverine, Riddick, Beatrix Kiddo, Conan, Captain Jack Sparrow, Severus Snape, Tony Soprano and Lucas Hood. All are antiheros we love in books, films and on television. They all fill roles that a hero couldn’t fill.
Most of the protagonists in my writing are antiheros. They’re characters I can identify with. They’re a piece of you and me. The antihero is my hero.
As I complete my first novel, I’m left with the satisfying feeling of accomplishment and a small bit of pride that warms me inside. It took a lot to get here, but I made it, and that alone is worth more than I can express in a single blog post.
I’ve read varied statistics that place the average percentage of people who start to write a book, and complete it, around 3%. So why do 97% of writers quit on their dreams? Type that question into a Google search and you’ll find thousands of bloggers that will tell you why. For me, it all boils down to one thing: Successful writers have super powers.
Most of us work full-time jobs, take care of families and deal with all of the constant pressures and unwanted problems that life throws at us. There are days where it’s hard to find time to sleep and eat, let alone sit in front of a computer and bang out a string of coherent words on a keyboard.
When I say that successful writers have super powers, I’m not speaking of blazing speed, fire manipulation, flying or underwater breathing (that’s a really poor super power by the way). I’m talking about perseverance, belief in yourself and the dedication to see things through to the end. Those don’t sound like super powers to you? If they’re not super powers, why do only 3% of writers have them?
I nearly quit on my book three times, but I didn’t. I hit roadblock after roadblock but wouldn’t give up. When work was pushing the clock to over 65 hours a week, when my family members needed my help and attention, and when stress was gnawing at my insides I continued to press forward. There were weeks when I had to set my book aside, but I never gave up on it. Never forgot about it. And now, I couldn’t be happier.
There are a lot of talented writers out there that are as good or better than today’s published authors, and it’s a shame that we may never be able to read any of their works. If you’re one of the 97% dig deep, and look for those super powers. We’ll all be happy that you did.
