Do your craft

I thought I would come in with some words... Dominick was to post his blog tonight…but I booted him away so I could blog about this…

So here goes…

I want you all to keep creating...whatever your form of expression is, and whatever your level is. Be it a word or two or a scribbled drawing that you are embarrassed to show anyone else...to epic novels, paintings, or whatever else it may be.

for me, writing is my entire existence. and I mean that. it is not an exaggeration. If it were not for my writing, I would not be here today. I do not mean that I would have taken my life...My life would have taken me. What I mean by that is this...my health at one point was so bad that I had nothing. nothing at all. I slept 18-20 hours a day. I would wake to eat and then write for a few, then I would read for a few, then I would go back to sleep. that was the sum total of my existence. If it were not for the writing, I would not even have done that much. I did that for years. at least five. perhaps more. I do not know.

Then one day I woke. I woke and thought. I want to write. I stayed up a little longer. I tired easy, and went to bed. but I stayed up longer that day. I did that for several days. I was exhausted. I went back to sleep. Then after going back to my old routine, I woke again. I stayed awake even longer this time. then I slept again. it took quite some time to get my energy back. but it was all because of my writing. how long? 6 years. the exact amount of time it took to write my book Judgment at Witches Court of course, I did not seek to get it published right away...but it is what saved me. it is also part of the reason why I have such a hard time even looking at the book now. but it saved me. it saved my life.

If it wasn't for that book wanting to be written, I would have let sleep take me and eventually the few hours that I was awake, wouldn't have happened. eventually I never would have woke at all.

Since then, things have constantly gotten better...it has been a daily struggle. and some days have been a lot worse, and some days...some weeks...some months...have been a backwards slide and I did not think I would make it...but I have persevered.

Of course, Judgment was not my first book...but it was the book that woke me. and since then, I have been awake. there have been times that I have almost slid back to sleep...figuratively and literally...but always, my writing, my craft, has pulled me through.

Writing has saved my life, my sanity and my soul many times over. and because of it, it is my life, my sanity and my soul. It may sound hokey, but it is the truth.

So, do your craft. whatever it takes, do your craft. Even if you never want to share it with anyone...even if you think you have no talent...do your craft. You will be amazed at what it will do for your entire being.