With the start of the Ad campaign now running, and the first contest underway, we are working our way down the final runway. We have a long way to go and not a lot of time so hold on tight because it’s going to be bumpy ride. The third editor has APOK Derailed and I am working on several other things in the background that’s going to make a splash. That said, for the next little while along with the APOK news, you’ll receive details on how this crazy writing / publishing adventure began for me and continues to keep me interested. Enjoy.
Humble Beginnings.
Shortly after the clock struck midnight, ringing in 2011, my journey began. With confetti littering the streets, and hangovers fresh on people’s minds, I found myself at work listening to the banter of New Year’s resolutions. My views on such things were jaded, in short, I wasn’t a fan. Mocking my co-workers with a laugh, I was caught off guard with a counter attack, “So you’ve done everything that you’ve ever wanted to do in your life?” Ringing like a church bell, the questioned echoed. Returning to my office, I was haunted by ghosts being summoned back to life. Reviving dreams of old most crumbled and fell, except one.
Arrested by its’ presence, I was forced into a time machine, on course to revisit a 26 year old version of myself. Driving my squad car through grungy neighborhoods, newspapers bearing September 2011 litter sidewalks. My boss’ voice from the morning briefing repeated in my mind, as the memory of planes crashing into buildings were all too vivid. On edge, looking for anything out of the ordinary, questioning everything, I was preparing for the worse, and hoping for the best. Like the majority around the world, I was wondering what was going to happen next?
In midst of that craziness, I found myself germinating an idea. Without effort, it grew and morphed into a story, and the thought of writing it out came along with it. Humble beginnings were all too present grounding me with lots of excuses; single income family, two young children, and an overshadowing student debt. I’d be wasting my time I thought, I had much more pressing things to worry about. Ignoring the impulses to write, the story withered and died. I buried it in the graveyard of childish dreams, as the reality of adult life was slapping me in the face.
Time after time, situations were such that I was haunted by the ghost of that story. New predicaments proved to be more important and again the ghost was ignored. Lingering in the distance, its presence was nearly undetectable.
Shuttled back to the present, accompanied by the ghost, I submitted to its haunting eyes. This was it. This year I’m establishing a New Year’s Resolution. I’m going to write my story.
WRITING SUGGESTIONS:
Start scribbling / typing out ideas.
It’s amazing, once you start your using your imagination the amount of ideas that pop up. Keep paper or a phone or some other device nearby at all times. I found the best ideas usually struck me right when I was about to fall asleep or from a dream. You need to record those immediately. Don’t wait till morning because those great story ideas will vanish before you get a chance to write them down.
Start working on one idea and keep plotting away on others as you go. You never know where or when you’ll use those other ideas.
Have fun. After all this is about personal satisfaction, victory, the potential of being the next big thing shouldn’t be the goal, it’s the icing on the cake (because cake alone is good but if you put icing on it, it’s that much more enjoyable.)
Till next time, have a great week,
Michael Walton