Some of you who read this might already know me, but to any random passers-by or to those who took a peek thanks to social media, I’d wager my classic Ford restoration project that you’ve no clue who I am, or what I stand for.
*Cough*
Ok, so I wouldn’t actually wager ‘ol Maggie (my beautiful truck, also known as my “other” baby) for anything, but I think that you get my point. If you don’t, read on, or check out some of my other articles. You’ll figure it all out fairly quickly.
Whoever you are, be better than me, because it took far too long for me to realize just how passionate I am about writing. I went through too many fields of study and crafts to properly count before I came right back around to the one thing that I never once hated or held with disdain. In fact, I’m now so in love with creating fiction that I choose to do so weekly and publish it here on my site in the form of something that I call FlashFics, for free. At the end of the day, I receive less joy from even the largest royalty check compared to a little compliment like this one:
Whether you believe that or not, I can’t say that I care too much. I like to think that my writing speaks for itself, and the image that you might see portrayed across any of my online accounts is the real deal. But, all rambling aside… This week marked a very significant anniversary for me: namely, July 22nd, which was the exact day that my debut fantasy novel Retribution (book one in The Redemptive Chronicles) went live on Amazon for the very first time. It’s been revised, since then, with a 2nd edition that includes a map that was hand-drawn by yours truly, but that original date still holds a special place for me.
You see, it took over ten years to fully write that piece of fiction, and though I know it isn’t the best of my writing (it was my first, after all), I take great pride in the story. Not only did it stem from an immense well of creativity from the deepest part of me, but some of the more intricate details like how the magic works, why the villain is bad, and what makes the hero the… well, hero (though a questionable one, I’ve been told)… those took some serious work to transform from the most mediocre of cliches into some elegantly fashioned, unique elements.
You might read that and think that I’m tooting my own horn a bit, and you’d be right (it IS the anniversary, of my largest work, after all). But in all seriousness, I believe that the level of passion that I have for Retribution and for the rest of the series going forward (much of which is already completed) serves to set my work apart.
I’ve learned in recent years that passion for your work or craft is absolutely everything, because when you do what you truly enjoy, your whole heart is committed to the project. When that is the case, the result is the absolute best that you have to offer, without any compromise or shortcuts taken. This certainly applies to much more than writing, and like I stated above, it took me WAY too long to realize where my passions truly lie. I hope that if you are reading this, you’re already doing what you love, because you’ve endured the hardships, tried at different things and even failed at many, until you finally discovered (or perhaps circled back around to) that one item that you enjoy doing more than anything else in the whole world. If you haven’t, keep pressing forward knowing that sooner or later you will find that same satisfaction and meaning from the work that you do each day.
So for me, I hope that you’ve realized something SO important that I simply cannot stress it enough: writing is EVERYTHING (professionally, I mean, of course, because God and family come before anything). If you take the time to read Retribution or even any of my free content right here on the site, I firmly know and believe that you will find something tangible that not every work of fiction carries, and that is passion, plain and simple. It’s the kind so strong that it emanates from the very pages, coursing through each word from the start of the tale until its grand conclusion (and let me tell you, not a single soul has been able to correctly guess the end of Retribution, or interpret what it means for the series going forward).
You should check out the fantasy site for The Redemptive Chronicles here, because I know that if you’ve read this article all the way through, then I’ve peaked your interest. However, whether you elect to take a peek at Retribution or any of the free content on my site, I would urge you to remember these simple but infinitely wise words, because when you do, I guarantee that you’ll find true fulfillment in everything.
“So whatever you do, work it with your whole heart, as if you do it all for God, and not for anyone else.” – Colossians 3:23
Copyright © 2018 D.M. Kurtz
D.M. Kurtz 