Where is it?

It’s a question I don’t hear often, but it comes up from time to time. As a writer who mostly self publishes, there aren’t too many benefits compared to a traditionally published author. For example, most of the money I generate is driven by how much traffic I can directly steer to personal websites or third party electronic stores (Amazon Books, etc.) that are willing to distribute my musings for a sizable chunk of the profits. However, there is one huge benefit of self-publishing… the freedom to delete.

I was once told that you should never publish anything that you would be ashamed to show your mother. While some of the topics I have written about have been quite personal, I am very proud of everything I have ever written (and my mom is too). That being said, sometimes, as the years go by, I don’t always relate to them anymore. In fact, it can sometimes get to the point that I don’t even enjoy them at all.

One of my most popular pieces was written on Medium.com and was about my journey through sobriety. It was one of the most taxing stories I ever wrote and I truly believe that it had a positive impact as it showed an honest (and somewhat depressing) depiction of what sobriety initially looked like (trust me, it got better). That being said, I’ve been sober since 26. I currently am 33. While alcoholism clearly shaped me, it no longer defines me. Simply put, it’s not a story I have any urge to tell anymore.

I started writing as a way to clear the demons in my head, to feel more connected to the world around me, and to feel love for myself (and others) again. Connecting to others on this beautiful planet is what motivates me to get out of bed most mornings, and for a long time I did this by sharing every painstaking detail of my life with strangers (who sometimes became friends) all across the globe.

I’ve pulled almost all of my old writings (thank you copyright laws) off the internet. These stories will be backed up, archived, and treated with the utmost respect. I have no intention of ever deleting the majority of them. However, I no longer want my entire life to be accessible with a few keystrokes. I never thought I’d be the type of person who craves privacy, but at this moment of my life, that’s exactly what I want. It’s what has inspired me to take a shift from creative nonfiction to fiction.

Pieces of myself will always spill into my writing, but it won’t be the focal point. I’m eager to write the stories of new characters and have their trials and tribulations inspire not only myself but others as well. My first fiction piece, An Ocean Full of Half Shucks will be available (for free) on this website.

Starting from 9/13, one rough draft story will be published every week until the completion of the novel. The book is based on the concept of sonder (click the word for the definition) and can be read in order or out of sequence as each chapter is a standalone story as well. Thank you for taking the time and I wish you nothing but happiness in life (if that’s what you desire).