Striving for Excellence

I constantly strive for excellence in my writing. I’m not satisfied unless every paragraph flows smoothly. It’s been a journey over the years, writing only for myself. Not putting much of anything out into the world except some of my poetry, learning quietly to find my writing voice. I have always been moved by my favorite writers: Lumley, Rice, Lovecraft, Burroughs, Kristoff, RL Davis Hays. Their work strikes a cord deep within, so if I am ever to be satisfied with my own work, it must also move me like theirs does.

If my stories don’t make me feel tears, thrills, and giddy excitement, how can I release them into the world? If I don’t “feel it,” the book is not done. Sure, the grammar might be right, the sentences strong, the message relayed effectively. But that’s just not good enough for me. It has to take on a certain level of smooth, flowing, comfort—a certain kind of poetic, musical rhythm. Perhaps that has something to do with the fact I have written so much poetry over the years.

So, even after everything is sufficiently edited and solid, I continue to pour over the words, again and again and again, until the scene, story, and situations sizzle for me, until tears well and my heart strains. Only then do I know it’s ready. Only then do I know it’s worthy of handing off to my editor. Only then do I know it has been primed enough to set it free into the wild. Into that wilderness of endless books by endless authors, all editing and priming their own works with love and intensity!

My little stories, struggle to be seen, to find their audience…fighting their way into the hearts and minds of those few who may just cherish them, the way I cherish them, and the way I cherish all those stories by my favorite authors.