In spite of having written only two fantasy novels (okay, 250,000 words is not only), I get asked why I write? What makes me do it? Or even…How do I write? It's a big question that always surprises me. I consider myself green enough that I'm not sure I'm even budding yet. I'm far from the 500 books that
Isaac Asimov wrote. (I know, right?) or the mere 12 books
J.K. Rowling has penned :). Maybe I'm asked because I'm accessible. I always do my best to answer.
How to write is pretty simple. Sit down and do it. I hate telling people that. I feel like I'm giving up the magic trick, that the rabbit was actually behind my back. No matter how much flourish and courtesy I can inject into that answer, books happen when I take the time to write. They do not happen when I spend time marketing, playing video games, eating cake, flirting with girls, watching movies, or surfing the web. Sure I hit roadblocks, I take time out to outline, I run out of rum (I come across all sorts of problems) but it doesn't happen if you don't put words on paper.
Why I write? What makes me do it? That's a bit more complicated. (Not quiet
Carlos Danger complicated, but there have been moments...) This is hard to admit, but I have a muse. Every day I'm shocked at how supportive she is, and how insatiable she is. Most days I'm amazed that my muse ever noticed me, but she did. It will probably not be a surprise, but she is
Kate Upton gorgeous, with the grace of
Anne Hathaway and unabashed like
Rihanna. Oh yeah, she's all of that and more. Beautiful and bright like my friend Cristi, while loving and lovely and patient as a long summer day like my
wife. I can't image anyone being more encouraging or supportive than my muse.
My muse is well read, and appreciates all things geek. He's chubby, like me, with unflattering glasses and sometimes gets winded walking up too many stairs. She works IT, spends too much time on
Twitter and
Facebook, is socially awkward and gets along well with everyone. She is a student of medicine, of history, of philosophy. He makes bad cosplay armor out of
duct tape and is an entrepreneur at heart. She takes karate and teaches. He goes to college. She plays
Magic: The Gathering and is in the band. She acts, directs, and produces. He works security and has a busy kid.
Sometimes my muse has been the day job, that often convinces me I was meant for something more. Or John and Ray who have made supportive comments to me on Twitter for years, and were the first two to read and review
Buried in Angst! (Yeah, my muse has a mustache). The other day my muse was Virat, a med student in North Carolina who posted a
review to Amazon.
My muse has been my wife, who tells me how proud she is of me then gives me an afternoon to hide. My muse has been my oldest friend Matt, who is on the alpha team and asks for more chapters all the time. A few minutes ago, my muse was the thoughtful person who posted to my blog to tell me they enjoyed my books and wanted to know when the next one is coming out. (Really, that's what made me write this post.) I've actually been asked what does it mean to be my muse? It means you want more.
I truly believe that every writer needs a muse, I know I couldn't write without each and every one. Whether you are a young writer or old, you have to find your muse - embrace and revel in every moment they inspire until you reach the dregs. Then, take a deep breath, and find another - inspiration is out there. My first book,
Angst, was truly inspired by my life and experiences. Every book after that has been inspired by people excited about Angst and wanting for more. If you've read
Angst, read
Buried in Angst, and now find yourself here, guess who you have become.
So yeah, people ask me why I write? I write because of my muse.
