Near Mint Mill

When I initially agreed to this I thought it’d be easy enough, pick a topic, bang out a page or so, get that verbal diarrhea going, let Cross edit it to be palpable for the masses and move on. Except that’s not how my brain works.

When the Sovereigncy started, my writing primarily consisted of solely what Cross needed for the next strip. Occasionally I would write little vignettes in a parallel Sov universe of characters that don’t exist yet in the main Sov. These tiny scenes were sporadic and only got written when the inspiration became so great I couldn’t refuse. Conversations with Cross through the end of 2017 brought me to make a promise to myself. I don’t call it a New Year’s resolution because I wanted this to be a part of my life going forward forever. Not something to attempt for a few weeks and be discarded so I can slip back into my normal routine.

Starting January 1st 2018 I have written something every single day since then. From a couple paragraphs or a short dialogue exchange to full on several pages there is no maximum I can write only a minimum. Cross has been cross-checker, readily reading nearly everything I have written and approved it for my daily goal. Though after five hundred and thirteen days of this it’s not a daily goal any more and just a way of life. It’s like a drug to me at this point, I get sad when I’m struggling for something to write. (Also let’s note that anything due within the next few days for the Sov or this blog do not count towards my daily. So like today I had to write Sov Three 8, this blog and my daily SovEU.)

When I write my things, Cross always never knows which document or folder I’m going to be in any given day. My brain is all over the place, any kind of media I consume can directly affect what I create and what I write down. I’m not joking when I say pick an era, pick a setting, pick a genre and I have something for it. If not, give me a minute and I will. Cross can attest to that. It is because of this sporadicness that I will likely never have the patience to write a novel. If I do, it will be my name and someone elses on the cover as well as an editor or two. Teamwork will have to make the dreamwork on that one.

My writing style is whatever hits me in the moment, whatever that little spark of inspiration is right now. Which means there is no linearness to it. I can jump around the Sov, I can even jump between our other comic ideas we have with no warning. Much to Cross’ annoyance when she wants me to work on a specific project. My writing isn’t perfect, I suck at descriptions and I lean too heavily on conversations. I have stayed away from descriptions because if I can’t describe the scene so perfectly that you see it they way I do, what’s the point? It is something Cross is poking me to work on, even in little bits. An extra few words here and there, sprinkled throughout the conversation. Granted at the same time while I love my conversations, to me it typically means that all my characters sound the same or have the same sarcastic amused attitude that I have.

We’re on volume three of a webcomic I write. I am an alleged professional writer. I still suck at it though. I listed a couple things above but there are other issues I have when it comes to writing. Basically what I’m saying is if you want to write, write. The only one that is in your way is you. I’ve said somethings to some aspiring writers I wish I could take back and encourage them instead of what I said back then. Cross is a linear writer. I’ve got writing ADHD. What works for me doesn’t work for others. I want people to write, to create, and all I can say is write. No matter what, no matter how long just get something down everyday. Once you start and once you keep going you won’t want to stop, it will become your cocaine and that’s great!

Write what you love, write what you hate, write what makes you happy, write what makes you cry, write the frivolous, write the crucial, just please, if you want to write, write.