“I write because I adore watching you read the stories I create.”

This summer marked the 1st year anniversary of my blog’s creation, and another birthday to remind myself how old I’m getting. Yes, I still feel the same. Older and wiser… I guess and I suppose… but nonetheless it’s another year of progression and moving forward, so for that… I am a happy man. I feel like every year used to hold a special significance, something that represented what that year stood for… a lesson, a loss, or a great achievement. But this past year… this past year was like a monsoon of mixed extraordinary experiences, and I drove through leaving behind a trail of scattered lost love letters and sticky notes. I think that’s what I’ve grown to appreciate the most about having a blog; it’s one big documented story of crazy life experiences and creative lollipops. All reminding you where you’ve been and where you hope to go.

Looking Back
I created this blog to be my creative lab in space. A work place of many sorts… a glass house where I can lay a few of my fictional and personal thoughts. A place to practice, play and grow. A space where I can be free to unwind, and explore and rediscover myself over and over again. Most importantly, this blog was created to assist in the development of my literary projects.

I wanted this first year to be about “starting from the beginning” … writing what I want, what I feel, what I desire, and what I fear with no organized direction. I wanted to challenge myself to be careless and outspoken. To speak in different voices and from different places inside. I dared myself to not focus on what someone else may think or judge, because I realized a long time ago that’s where the magic stops. As soon as an artist starts to worry about the outside, the connection breaks. This first year was about finding that little boy that fell in love with creating stories and poetry in 3rd grade, that little boy who swore that he was going to write his own book one day because it would be so cool to go to a book store and see a shelf of different books all written by yourself. I think I found him. He’s sitting right here telling me to “hurry up and stop proofreading and editing every line over and over again. Just spit it out already and watch where it all falls.” The practice never stops.

This past year was about playing with the art of story telling, developing my own personal style and flavor, being as honest as can be, and learning to be patient with the process. I believe I succeeded. I recognize a few themes this past year; some bring a smile, a tear… and a few make me cringe. But, that’s the whole point of this process… looking back on those posts that represent a time of silliness or a time of foolish love, and realizing that within those vulnerable written moments lie something special and worth sharing. There is nothing wrong with writing what you feel. Truth breaks all walls down, and you are free to let your creative soul soar. I start to see bits of color and music emerge from the words I lay down, and I get excited to watch it all sing. 

What Happens Next
More writing happens next. This 2nd year will focus on technique and more challenges…. creating and sharing something creative or thoughtful daily. Every moment is another opportunity to continue building your voice, platform, and brand- find out what that is. Most of all, this next phase is about “being” a writer… and documenting my journey in discovering what the hell that really means.