Writing for the Love of it

I know I promised my friend (Bryce, author of the graphic novel series I'm illustrating) That I would post up a rundown of graphic novels that I think are underrated but, I've had a few interesting weeks and some other thoughts seem a bit more important.

I have wrote, whether interviews, reviews, or fiction for the better part of 10 years or so. It probably sounds like an interesting hobby, I'd imagine, something that people would be interested in hearing some about. Funny thing is, the majority of it is probably never going to be seen by the general public.

I write for the love of it.

My writing has been very much a thing unto myself. Hours and days, weeks and even years of sitting, thinking and creating has amassed a decent sized amount of written material. I've never really had the chance or the aptitude to get most of it up and out there for people to be ABLE to read. And to be honest, the choice to do things that way has really stemmed from a deep seated belief in the following 3 things:

1.) Most people aren't all that interested in reading what I write. (I say this mainly because the things I review, people I interview, and stories I try to write, often skew outside of the usual things that people find popular)

2.) I'm technologically challenged. ( For more years than I'd like to admit, I just haven't been able to acquire the tech needed to seriously write to a degree that would be okay to allow the public to see)

3.) Time ISN'T on my side. (The most obvious of challenges is trying to fit in writing when my life requires me to be a brother, uncle, son, youth leader, artist, worker, etc. At the end of the day, the focus and energy to SERIOUSLY get into writing, just isn't there.)

So, where does that leave things?

Again, I write for the love of it. I'm, first and foremost an illustrator. If I could draw it all, I WOULD. But lack of materials to draw on or with, and the ability to communicate the "images of thought" (a concept I'll delve into on some other blog) have bred the skill to communicate otherwise...Through writing. And after various years of working out the kinks, I found that I love the form of writing, despite the limitation of NOT necessarily being visual.

Things interest me, so I write of them. Sometimes a story (or series of panel images) must be put to the paper (or screen). Other times a person is interesting and I want to ask them questions. These and more motivate the desire and, it's so much more than wanting the world to "see my vision" or "hear my voice." Those of us who are creative can't really afford to contain these things that spring up in our minds by just letting them sit there then slowly dissipate into limbo. We have to DO something with them. So we write... And its true that sometimes the things written are long winded, or wordy, or jumbled into something maybe only we can perceive but, it's still an expression of our thoughts or confusions about the world around and existence in general.

It is very much...One of the oddest passions that people display, the transfixing of words to a form of grammatical or lyrical prose. Whether poetic, sympathetic, or chaotic, it creates a place where the inner can become the outer and both aspects reflect or affect, one another. And while some of what is written through this strange and unusual love can become that which drives the cultural consciousness and trends... I'd imagine that, out there, is so much more impassioned writing that exist in the most intricate and fantastic ways, of which we may never experience.

But it exists and thrives in its small universes of creativity, none-the-less.

- Conduct Lionhardt