I am a writer.

Yesterday I finished "You Are a Writer (So Start Acting Like One)" by Jeff Goins.  It's part pep talk and part marketing course and a very easy read at around 80 pages.  I enjoyed all the of the book, but the best piece of advice I took away from this book?

You are a writer.  You just need to write.

Of course this makes total sense, but I'm sorry to say it took having someone say it to me to get me thinking about it.  The hardest part of anything (writing, cooking, weight lifting) is starting, taking that first step (and then the second after that).  And that's where 90% of us get stuck.  We make our someday plans and talk about how we want to write a book or learn to cook a souffle but never actually take the first step.  It's a lot easier to talk about the finished product than put in the work to get there.

Today, I employed the book's advice when I sat down today to write on my story.  I've been avoiding it for a few days due to writer's block!  If I write, then I am a writer.  And to my immense surprise, I had to actually stop myself two hours later because I'd been writing and having such a great time doing it.

Starting right now I want to dedicate myself to telling my story - whether or not it ever nets me anything financially.  I know this will be a struggle.  I know part of the reason we decided I should quit was the potential to hit a bigger windfall than what I would ever make working 40 hours a week in an office.  But I'm a writer, I just need to write.


Art after the jump...

1 hour in Photoshop CS5

Not my best work, but the first I've finished in a long time.  This is an updated PS version for me, so I've been trying to acclimate myself to the little changes (namely, why are all the tools docked on the right side... have I ever even used the channels box?)  I'm fairly satisfied with the linework, and I feel my anatomy has definitely improved.  I'd like to get better at shading, and I think I need to learn how to see things in 3-D (if that makes any sense).

Also, that dog tag is really out of place (lines too thick I think) but that's okay.  Next time!