A story

There once was a dragon that terrorized the land.
It was a cruel beast, indiscriminately capturing maidens and hoarding treasures that weren't his.
One day, a knight was ordered by his king to put an end to this by slaying the dragon, rescuing the maidens, and a generous portion of the stockpile of pilfered treasure would be his reward for completing the mission.
The knight traveled on horseback to the mountain cave where it was rumored the dragon had been dwelling.
"Come out, vile beast!" shouted the knight into the cave. "I have come to kill you."
The dragon emerged from the cave and faced the knight.
"Why do you wish to kill me, brave knight?" asked the dragon.
"You have brought much suffering to my land, claiming things that weren't yours and storing them for yourself."
"Why does your king not come and face me himself?" asked the dragon.
"It is beneath a king to do the work that belongs to his subjects." said the knight.
"I see." said the dragon, "Very well, then, you may have my head if you can answer me one question. If you fail to answer, I will scorch you with flames, just as I have done to countless others before you."
"What is your question, beast?" asked the knight.
"What makes a man brave?" asked the dragon.
"A man who undertakes a trial selflessly and ignores his own fears." said the knight.
"You have answered correctly." said the dragon. He lowered his head to the ground and the knight cut it off with one blow from his sword.
On returning to the castle, the knight returned the maidens to their homes and presented the head of the dragon to the king.
"You have done well, brave knight." said the king. "I shall give you your reward from the treasure you have recovered."
"I have not recovered the treasure, my king." said the knight. "I have already distributed it among the homes of the poor of your kingdom."
At that, the knight took his sword and killed the king, took his crown, and placed it on his own head. He stood before the fallen king's subjects and said:
"A kingdom without a brave leader is at the mercy of dragons."

A Writer's Struggle

A lot has been written about the difficulties of being a writer. It has been said that it is the lonely man's craft, a labor of love that is almost as much of a burden as it is a calling. There are many obstacles standing in the way of the writer, every day life being the most daunting of these, with scary things like "writer's block" and the ever-lingering possibility of alienating everyone whom you have ever loved, or has ever loved you. It's all very epic and dramatic and intimidating and...

...and, it's all part of the mystique of being a writer. It's all partially true, but is it really as bad as all that?

Well, I guess it can be. It's all a matter of perspective, and it's really up to the writer him or herself just how completely this mystique will affect their writing, and eventually their life. Personally, it is my hope that I will always be able to maintain a level head on the matter. I am a writer, and I will face difficulties, but then again, we ALL face difficulties, regardless of our chosen occupation (or divine calling, depending on your philosophy of life), and it's really up to us as individuals to make sure that our passions don't wreak havoc on the rest of our lives.

Woe is me...the tortured writer...

Researching Research...

I often struggle with research. Whatever I'm writing about, I usually choose topics that require as little private study as possible. Research is dull, boring, stale, dry, and dusty...

Or is it?

The story that I am currently working on is set in a very lively period of history, and the research required for adding believable detail to this world is actually...dare I say it? FUN!

As a result of my research, I've learned about 17th century sword smithing, the social and political structure of the Ottoman Empire, the extravagant daily life of a Sultan, the mystical tradition of Muslim Sufis, and countless other points of interest that I would, without this self-motivated study, be completely ignorant of.

As important as research is, though, it should always remain a compliment to a story. When the historical details and factoids become the focal point of a narrative rather than the supplement they are intended to be, things can get very mechanical and uninteresting. It is a delicate balance, and the writer must be the master of the research, not the other way around.

The Long First Draft

Last year, I began work on my first official novel. It's an epic, ambitious work of historical fiction, and I promised myself that I would have the final draft completed by right around this time. Well, not only did I miss that deadline, but I also haven't even finished my first draft.

Why?

There are a lot of reasons, I suppose. I have told myself again and again that I would push my way through the inevitable bouts of writer's block, but I didn't. I have read several inspirational books and articles that document the ups and downs of the writing process, but none of them helped me to meet my deadlines. Why, then? Why is it that after a year and three months, I still don't even have a rough first version of a manuscript for a story that is practically bursting its way out of my soul, aching to be written, read, and enjoyed?

I don't know. I honestly don't know. But there are a few things that I do know, and maybe jotting them down on this blog will help me to gain the perspective needed to get my story complete. Here they are, in no particular order:

1. I love my story idea.
2. I believe that I am fully capable of writing it.
3. I have researched the historical time period in which it is set.
4. I have friends and family who support me and believe in me.
5. I have a little over 40,000 words written, and I've got lots more to say.
6. I know that every day, EVERY DAY, has ample time for writing.

Excuse me...I've got writing to do.