Reading, writing, and drawing goals.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Four months have passed since I last posted, so this is a bit like starting over.

Welcome to Self Write.

I’m not sure why today is the day for new beginnings, but here I am, bursting with new ideas and aspirations. It could have something to do with the fact I’m writing a romance novel, Lake Arcadia. Or it could be that my only romantic relationship is with my writing.

Art is a worthy lover.

While the writing is going well, Lake Arcadia probably won’t be finished and ready for publication until next year. I’ll be doing some other things in addition to writing in the meantime.

I have a new ten-year goal (I’m thinking long term here). I would like to write and illustrate a graphic novel. This will require skills I don’t currently have. My plan is to start with the basics.

This is Year One. Year One involves a lot of reading, writing, and drawing.

I’ve upped my reading goal to a 100 books this year. This includes reading a lot of comics, but I’m also just reading more in general.

Writers read and I just haven’t done enough reading in my life, especially since I like to write in multiple genres. If I want to write romance, I need to have read more romance novels. I have a sci-fi novel planned, and a fantasy novel, and all sorts of crazy stuff in the works, but I need a stronger foundation if I want to create amazing work people fall in love with.

Blowing past 100 books should be easy, even though I only read 51 books last year. This year, I’ve already read 23 books. I’m 11 books ahead of schedule already.

Today, I start my drawing practice in earnest. I’m starting with the Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain Workbook, which arrives in the mail today. I’ll make regular posts on my progress.

Reading more, writing more, and drawing more will give me more to post about on this blog. I’m getting older and my skills just aren’t where I’d like them to be. I’ve done a lot of writing, and now it’s time to come at my craft from some new angles.

I don’t just want to be good. I want to be amazing. Amazing takes an obsessive amount of work. This blog will show the work.