engaging blog title

You've got to have something to draw them in, right?

Take this blog, for example. "How To Die Trying" may have a negative connotation to some, but to me it's the equivalent of "Never Give Up". It also sounds cooler. Hopefully I don't die trying. Although, if you have a dark sense of humor like I do, it would be deliciously ironic. Just know if that happens, I'll have a good laugh about it and you should too.

Life is too short to not laugh. Especially at yourself.

Life is too short not to try to reach your goals and make your dreams happen. You just need a plan, the will to start doing it and the will to keep doing it, despite yourself or anyone else.

What kind of obstacles stand in your way?

Money - We have to pay bills and in some cases we have to pay others to make our dreams happen. Sometimes you have to get creative. Trade work for work. A percentage of property rights or payment on the back end. Where there's a will, there's a way.

Time - It's an uphill battle and it's real. This touches on patience, which has been a real issue for me. The older you get, the faster it seems to go and the less of it you have. Working full time on top of everything else can be a bitter pill to swallow, too. (See "Money", above.)

Ideas - It's hard to be "ON" all of the time. I may have a drought for a week and then get five ideas in the same afternoon. Take them as they come. Be patient with yourself and the dream you're chasing.

Doubt - Almost everyone I know who works creatively, (artist, writer, musician), has self-doubt or struggles with depression and anxiety. I'm no exception. It's hard to put yourself out there and face criticism. It can be circumstantial, too. Life happens. The seasons change. You wreck your car, or lose a loved one. Sometimes just a dreary day is enough to throw me off my game, but the energy that I get from writing always recharges me and helps me feel better. Get back on that horse, as they say.

What other obstacles are out there giving you trouble?

There are millions of reasons to NOT do something. Sometimes you just have to push through and work toward small, attainable goals. One step at a time.

These thoughts aren't fresh and new. You've probably heard a lot of people say the same things. But I'm here going through it too. Living it every day. Trust me when I say it doesn't hurt to get a refresher. I need them all the time.

I wouldn't have even started in comics if it hadn't been for the help I received from others. Words of encouragement. Advice on business. Notes from other writers. It's what makes the community of comic creators so special, in my mind. A nudge of support or a kind word goes a long way. Give that gift to someone else and it will come back to you.

When I started writing comics seriously, I had a short-lived blog called "Things I Say From My Mouth". It was at the start of writing "Binary Gray", when I was reviewing comics online. I had no idea what I was doing and there was quite a bit of trial and error involved. Despite the mistakes, it was fun, new and exciting. It kept me going in a dark time. That world was coming to life for me when I needed it the most, which ended up being a perfect metaphor for why I do this.

Writing gives me a sense of purpose. An identity. It empowers me in a way that has forced me to look at myself and say "this is what I want", and yeah - I'll die trying to do it right. Trying to get published. Trying to sell an idea or a screenplay or any number of writery-type things. We're all dying anyway, right?

This is just a first step, but I hope you'll stay tuned for more.

Thanks for reading!

CONVENTION NOTE:

Come see me this weekend at the Gem City Comic Con in Dayton, Ohio! Saturday and Sunday (April 1st & 2nd) at the Dayton Convention Center!

http://gemcitycomiccon.com/