Writing a novel

This novel-writing business is much harder than I thought it would be. You have to have a believeable world, likeable or hateable characters, and some sort of plot or storyline.

Or you could write something terrible.

At this point, I think I have to agree with this one vlogger I watched on youtube. Forgive me, Miss Awesome Vlogger, for forgetting your name momentarily. Sometimes you just need to WRITE. And even if it's crap, you wrote something. There's always this beautiful thing called editing.

Apparently I can't get better at writing if I don't practice. Funny, isn't it?

So, in my pursuit of forcing myself to write, I have offered up my creative services to my gaming group. In other words, I'm about to become... duh duh dun!... a dungeon master. *gasp* (For all those of you who still think D&D is demonic, satanic, or cultish...do some research and don't believe everything you read on the internet. Sheesh. Besides, I play Pathfinder. Less calculus.)

What does this mean?

It means I am creating an awesome, storybook, fairytale world suitable for heroes and villains, lovers and fighters, singers and swordsmen. On the plains of my imaginary world my brave friends will venture to bring justice and right wrongs! It will not be unlike Arthurian legend, in some ways.

In other ways, however...I'm at a loss. I haven't completely created my  own world in YEARS! I used to do that sort of thing all the time, as a child. Good thing I still have stories from back then.

Anyway. I'm going to write this book. There will be epic battles, true character development, and perhaps some perspective-switching as I edit and re-write.

...but I promised myself I would write a novel, so write a novel I shall. And if it's any good, I'll share it.

Patience

The difference between patience...

and putting up with way too much crap that you shouldn't have to.

First of all, if you think you're being patient, it's probably because you're already putting up with something that you don't think you should.

I'll be perfectly honest. I think I'm a pretty patient person. In other words, I'm a very impatient person who feels the need to be patient more than anyone else I know.

Now, there's a difference between putting up with what you don't feel like and putting up with something you shouldn't.

You probably don't feel like going to work. Or doing your homework. Or grocery shopping. Or waiting in line. Or being kind to people who are mean to you. But I think you should probably keep doing those things.

You shouldn't put up with people dying, if there's something you can do to stop it. You shouldn't put up with violence towards yourself, be it physical or emotional. You shouldn't put up with bullshit answers to things when you deserve to know the truth.

Otherwise you should probably be patient, listen carefully, and try to be at peace with everyone as much as is in your power.

And you can tell me that I'm naive, and that I have rose-colored glasses when I look at the world. To you, I must say two things.
1. They're tinted pink because they're stained with the blood and sweat of those before me.
2. "Some men see things as they are and ask why. Others dream things that never were and ask why not. ~George Bernard Shaw (a personal favorite of mine when it comes to quotes and plays and such)

I'm a "why not" person more than I am a "why" person. I'm a dreamer, yes. Why not you?