Tag: creative

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Starting a New Project


I have realized I can handle many of life’s challenges when I have something to occupy my mind; a project on which to work. Often, I feel the need to work on multiple projects simultaneously as one does not keep my attention for long or I don’t believe I have the time to give something the attention it needs. Mostly, I get bored and start a new project that interests me. I have gotten better at returning to unfinished projects and completing them. If I had enough money to survive and could still work on my projects full-time, I believe I would be better at finishing things before they lose my interest.

But I digress. I have started a new project. At least I have started researching it. I feel the horror genre in general is not taken seriously by society’s majority. Both horror and science fiction are coming of age and it’s time for them to be taken more seriously by both creators and consumers of those creations. These genres often hold creations that are popular with the masses but are rarely considered by the scholars or academics as noteworthy of analysis. My argument is subjective, but I think it is time we saw more horror at the Academy Awards or Pulitzer Prize winners.

I want to offer some insight into the horror genre, specifically supernatural fiction. The horror genre is too large for analysis and even the sub-genre of supernatural fiction would take years to analyze. To help me narrow down some of my research I will only look at works created in the last 30 to 35 years with a couple of exceptions. I will look at television programs, films, novels, graphic novels (comics), music, and video games. Within each of these sections I will offer case studies of works that have transcended their original media and have expanded into various other media such as comics becoming films and television programs and vice versa.

Even with narrowing down my search parameters, this project will require a couple years of work before completion. My main argument is why this kind of fiction is important and should be taken seriously and what this kind of fiction actually does for those who consume it. I believe there is just as much value in supernatural fiction within psychology as well as entertainment. In the way comedy can help achieve catharsis so to can horror. This perhaps is why the two work so well together. Entertainment exists to help people find and achieve catharsis with life’s struggles.

I already have a list of works I will research so please don’t send suggestions. I like the list I have compiled, and I will make small changes as I go. I may even change my overall argument. For now, any support you can offer is greatly appreciated. You can offer financial support by wither purchasing one of my books on Amazon or donating to my Patreon page. You can also support by sharing my work with friends and liking and following on all the social medias. I appreciate any help anyone can offer.

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Embracing New Challenges


For the last few weeks I’ve been grappling with the woes of unemployment.  This is the first time in my life that I have ever had to apply for unemployment and it’s both painful and humbling.  On the plus side, this newly available free time has helped me finish some writing and do more of the blogging and things.  I’ve even been more active on social media.  With more finished writing, I’ve also been submitting to online magazines.  Some have rejected me and others I’m still awaiting a reply.  It’s been a rocky few weeks.

With publishing and things, I have several short stories that will likely be rejected soon.  I say likely rejected because I feel I need to be rejected 10,000 times before someone will publish my work.  We shall see.  Also, June 16, will be a free eBook download day for Dollar Tales from the Morbid Museum: The Ghosts Inside.  Download on your kindle or kindle app for free the entire day.  On June 30, I have a new eBook coming to your kindle and kindle app titled Dollar Tales from the Morbid Museum: Flash Fiction.  This one will include four short stories and a little introduction to the Morbid Museum.

As far as promotion is concerned, I have recently started a Patreon page.  This is a social platform to help artists, creators, and the like to gain financial assistance for the creative endeavors.  Since I am unemployed, I thought this would be a good idea.  I at least would like $7 a month to help cover the cost of this website.  I have also been working harder on increasing my reach on my Facebook and Twitter pages. I have increased likes and followers, but this is only the beginning.  Please tell your friends and keep an ear out for other free eBook download days.

The challenges will never cease, and I will continue my mental health battle.  I’ve been finding more and more reasons to stay positive and finally feel like I have a support system.  This is a first for me, but this is what motivates me to keep writing, to keep searching for a new job, and to continue promoting myself to one day become a full-time writer.  What a joy that would be to work for myself and still make enough money to survive and have fun.  We should all be so lucky.  Remember to face your challenges and never give up!

 

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I am a Writer

I have been writing for almost fifteen years.  I really feel this is one of my strongest skills.  I believe I am good at many things.  When it comes to writing, I feel great.  Have I been professionally published?  No.  Have I sold lots of stories and made money from my writing?  Not really.  Have I self-published and sold a few to people who were not friends or family?  Kind of I guess.  It is not an easy market to jump into but I believe I have been writing long enough and have acquired enough knowledge and skill to really change the world through writing.

If you are reading this than I have already succeeded in one small way.  Who knew that was all it took?  It does not matter how much money one makes, or how many times one is published.  That is the business of writing, yes, but that is not what makes a great writer.  I can insert a couple of popular contemporary writers who are simply terrible.  I do not think this is the fault of the writer but more of the editor and the agent for not working to make the writing better.  That is the purpose of agents and editors, to make the story or book marketable and profitable.  That is all.

So, with the marketable/profitable angle, I am in no way successful.  From the artist perspective, I have made a small impact on a few people.  That is the purpose for any artist; to make people feel something.  It does not matter what it is if the person has some feeling from the artist’s work.  It could be anger, happiness, melancholy, ambivalence, whatever…  I recently realized this was, on a small scale, the purpose of human interaction.  We are here to make each other fell something.

People have spent centuries trying to discover what it all means.  I think the poets, painters, sculptures, writers, and any other artists are closer than anyone else.  The purpose of life is to create and to feel.  Unfortunately, everyone just wants to be numb and destroy everything.  Now more than ever does the world need painters and poets and any other artists.  Now more than ever does the world need to create and to feel.  It is in emotions that we are reminded of our humanity.  It is creation that brings out the best in everyone.  So, I write.

When I feel something strongly, I write.  When I cannot find the words, I write.  I do not always write about what has transpired but when I write something, when I create something, it brings out the best I have and makes me feel like I have a purpose.  While I don’t know what it is exactly, I have a divine life purpose.  I have a soul mission.  I have a reason for being and I think it involves writing.  Maybe most of you will not read this.  Maybe most of you in the world will ignore anything I can offer.  That will never stop me from writing because sometimes writing is the only thing I have.