Last year I made myself a promise before giving chase to the white rabbit that is creative writing. I vowed to do so with reckless abandon for five years no matter what. 365 days later, I am both encouraged and terrified.
The next four years feel simultaneously like they could be tomorrow or forever from now. My mind’s eye seems to have developed a bit of chronological vertigo after sketching out the peaks and valleys of my five-year plan. The ups and downs may be disorienting, but at the very least I know to keep moving forward. And so I go.
My Millarworld submission didn’t make the cut, deservedly so. I think I reached for low-hanging fruit. Not only did I latch onto what seemed to be a common thread (involving the “goblins” of Tantalus), I also framed the whole story around a telecast to avoid having to directly write Mr. Millar’s protagonist, Duke. No big shocker that my script was a dud.
It was a great learning experience, trying to write somebody else’s character. Next time I think I will be able to show better restraint, working more with what’s already established within the title’s continuity instead of trying to make my mark. Here’s a link to my entry; I look forward to trying again next year!
Everything else is chugging along at the usual pace: Ambrosia is still getting its color treatment, and our Kickstarter timeline is on-target for (late) February. The third issue of disunity is underway. Two new projects are lined up for 2016 as well. First is a pitch packet that’s almost ready to send off to its illustrator, for a children’s story I am eager to tell. The second is a freelance opportunity that I’ll formally announce sooner rather than later.
The next completed work I’ll likely share will be the colored pages for Dismal Signals, a short story that I’m hoping will find a home in an anthology somewhere. The black-and-white pages are lettered and ready to go, with colored pages expected in the next week or two. Until then enjoy a text-free preview!
