#Enhanced #Year7
Hello Reader. Today we have cause to celebrate. You see, today is the seventh anniversary of Enhanced being released. It’s literally the seventh anniversary of the day that I achieved my lifelong dream. A fourth of my life has literally gone by since that day.
So today, I find myself asking a few questions that I’ve had on my mind since then.
Question 1: Do I want to write more books?
The obvious answer would be yes. But I’ll be honest with you, since the day Enhanced was published, I’ve hit a stopgap. You see Reader, when I published Enhanced, I was a college sophomore. I had literal months off between semesters where all I would do was write. I wrote the sequel, Altered in about two years after. It’s still unpublished.
But despite that, I’ve written a few longer projects. In 2015 and 2016, I wrote a Pro Wrestling drama in the style of a play, complete with footnotes at the bottom of every page. I may talk to Desmond and make it a release on The Reflection or record it as a podcast (I would need at least one female voice actor.) I also wrote an encyclopedia of Pro Wrestling maneuvers to supply the footnotes.
In 2013, I wrote 50,000 words of a fantasy novel that focused on a knight battling demonic manifestations of the seven deadly sins. It was fun to write but I ran out of steam. I may revisit that concept.
In 2016, I was tasked with writing a 340 page technical manual at a job I was working. Unfortunately, I’ll never receive the credit I deserve for that. But it’s something.
Today, I’m writing a novel that is a blend of Sci Fi and high fantasy. Think Elves and Orcs in Space. I’m only a few thousand words into it but I really feel like this is something I can do.
I’ve also written for multiple magazines, blogs, websites, and newspapers. Life has been at least interesting.
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So yes, I still want to write another book. I’m trying. The real question I should have asked myself is why does it feel like I have to try at 28 something that took no effort at 20?
Question 2: Am I the same person?
Nope. Not even close. The collection of cells known as Carlton Nathaniel Brock III is not the same. I’ve changed so much since then. First of all, I’m an inch taller and 40 pounds heavier. So the collection of cells is larger overall.
But the real difference is in my experience. When I wrote Enhanced, I was so focused on pleasing others that I really lost myself. There were like 90 million people on the dedication page. Ironically, I’m not really friends with the people I was trying so hard to be like. Instead I’ve made a collection of friends that like me for what I am (Including an awesome Fiancé). It’ll be different when I publish next time because I feel the dedication page is going to be something different. I don’t necessarily feel the obligations to include people that I did before. Now if I include you in my life decisions, it’s because I love you. We came to a similar conclusion while planning the wedding. Anyone in the wedding from the people doing the readings, to the groomsmen and bridesmaids, to the speaker of the ceremony are people we love. People that we’ve bonded with.
This has had a change on my writing style that I can’t quite describe. But I also write what I want now, rather than what I think people want.
Hell its affected my personal style. The way I dress, the videogames I play, the music I listen to. This is me.
It wasn’t always the case. For example, I hid that I was a pro wrestling fan until Ally, one of those aforementioned loved ones told me “it doesn’t matter what other people think about what you like as long as it’s legal and you have fun.” While she’s not as big a fan as I am, we have gone to several wrestling shows together, that means the world to me. Grace, my fiancé watches every Raw and every Pay Per View and will offer commentary on my predictions if she disagrees. That means the world to me. I have friends that will watch pretty much every show with me if we plan correctly. That means the world to me.
That’s just the pro wrestling side of who I am. The same could be said for everything. I’m not trying to force myself into being a mold. The collection of cells called Carlton Nathaniel Brock III is comfortable with itself.
Question 3: What do I really want out of writing?
The honest answer is nothing. Like Jiu Jitsu, Writing owes me nothing. Writing loves no one as well. Really, I just want people to read what I write. It’s my favorite thing in the world. But I guess what I do want most is to do my absolute best and see where that takes me.
Conclusion
Reader, here’s to seven years of Enhanced. Seven years of me being a professional writer. Here’s to finally finding myself.
