Look what I did, you guys! I did a plotting-a-thon thing.
The process has been long and arduous, extending far past just sitting down with a notebook cracked open in order to scribble my mad, story thoughts into it. It included many months worth of research into subjects I have always had a cursory interest in but have never actively looked into: demonology.
NOTE: This post is in turns an emotional outpouring as well as a personal, cutting to the core, dissection with how I feel/where I am at 30. Like my previous posts, I don’t pull punches, and I don’t want to self censor. Others have felt this way; some probably feel the same right now, but I just wanted to take a moment to capture and express my fears, hopes, worries and dreams on Write Steve Write.
With that in mind, enjoy…
It’s been 10 days since my birthday. Since this…
Today, I have officially left my 20s and have entered the hallowed halls of adulthood. I’m adulting! #Turned30 pic.twitter.com/Fpl4W0BrQK
— Steve Russell (@stevetendo) July 15, 2016
Honestly, I’m still accepting that I’ve finally ticked over into my 30s. No more will my age start with a 2 until I hit 200!
As I sit here pondering about all that I had dreamed of accomplishing in my 20s, all that I thought I would have done and what I thought my 30s would have looked like, I struggle at times to cope with the reality. All that I haven’t achieved. All that I thought I would be, but am not.
Kind of makes me feel like this:
And then someone comes along, shows you what it’s like to be truly cared about, and does something amazing to help you usher in a new birthday, a new decade, a whole slew of new opportunities, adventures and possibilities…
You may be familiar with how I use Write Steve Write as a personal journal in order to chronicle my progress, lack of progress, and inspiration when it comes to writing. Specifically when it comes to fine tuning my manuscript, Temporary, and its little brother, Shell.
I’ve set goals, missed goals, and hit goals during my time sharing all my wins and loses with those who care to read them and be a part of this long adventure, and I’m appreciative of everyone one of you who has taken the time to follow along.
For those of you who may be stumbling across this for the first time: Welcome!
If you’ve ever wondered what the process is like for someone with no industry contacts, and only a love of story to warm them during those long, cold nights, then you’ve come to the right place. You’ll be able to chart back every major turn and event I’ve taken with Temporary, right up until, hopefully, I’m able to blog about such incredibly positive things with Friends inspired titles like “The One Where I Get An Agent”, or “The One Where I’m Published and On An Awesome Book Tour, Please Come Meet Me!”.
Until then, there’s this:
Another pass on #Temporary, and it’s like I can finally, sort of, maybe see #TheMatrix. #amwriting #amrewriting pic.twitter.com/WC4dcgIsHf
— Steve Russell (@stevetendo) January 20, 2016
…said no artist, probably ever.
To be honest, it’s one of the hardest thing that I’ve encountered with every creative process I’ve been through; writing, screen writing, directing, podcasting, whatever the medium there’s always that lingering voice of doubt at the back of my head when I reach the perceived end of a project.
Is it really the end?
Just when, exactly, do you know that what you’ve been working so diligently on is at a point where there are no more tweaks to be made, no more major issues to be dealt with, to know that it’s, without any doubt, ‘done’?
Somehow we are almost through November, which means a few things.
I’ve never entered a piece of writing into a competition before, and I’m interested in seeing how it does, especially as the theme of the competition is Superheroes.
It just so happens that the manuscript I’m (still) working on, Temporary, is all about exactly that, which put me in a great state of mind for tackling this subject.
At first I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to stay within those themes and ideas, but having cultivated Temporary for so long, becoming somewhat well versed in Superhero mythology in the process, I couldn’t think of a better time to take some time away from Temporary and work on something new, yet immediately familiar.
Perhaps too familiar?
You see, Shell is set within the same Universe as Temporary.
Write Steve Write 