26: The Untitled Essay
I see myself as an author, a person who runs through the gantlet of possibilities, adds flourishes for continuity or dramatic effect, and expresses the importance of the words I put out there. In short, I think that I can tell a story.
It is a fact that storytelling comes in many different forms, and that is what makes a story all the more special. Personally, I am not sure if the stories I write belong to the mass-market club, but that does not mean I will not continue writing them.
Call it arrogance or me being dilutional; hell, call it whatever you like, but I think that the stories I write need to be told. Not because I think what I have to say or express will change the world, nor because I desire wealth or notoriety; I write so that I may understand a topic and theme in my stories.
If what I write is fully understood by at least eleven people, I will be content. I do hope that the tales I weave entertains people, but I think that is a hope held by most authors. Sure, I have a plan or two up my sleeve, but only time will tell if they play out in the way I would prefer.
Like most people, I have goals I aim to achieve, but the way I approach them is close the way I write. An outline no matter how detailed, may point you in the direction you need to go, but possessing the flexibility to reach those plot points from multiple directions means that you will always find a way to your goals.
You can take that as confidence, arrogance, or just a character flaw of mine, but however you see what I said, it does not diminish the fact that the obstacles someone faces while pursuing a goal can only stop you if you allow them to do so.
For me writing is the most exhilaratingly rewarding thing in the world; it bears just enough of your soul to others to make it personal, and yet, there is a formality to writing that allows chaotic creativity to walk hand-in-hand with stark logic; within a sentence, you can experience opposing emotions, thoughts, and ideas. A story can be whatever it needs to be for whoever needs it to be something.
I write for the love of and the challenge that the art of writing provides. I refuse to give up. It is the strength of mind that keeps people moving toward their goals, but please understand that to become strong in any way imaginable, it takes dedication and effort. If you do something with ease, are you truly putting forth the effort necessary to grow? Until next time, I am Nolan… Ex Tenebris.
