Better Late Than Never

I discovered my life’s great passion later than I would’ve liked, but I suppose it’s not so uncommon. Like many, I abandoned that creative child I once was, left him behind as I began to hang with the wrong crowd, and then chased things of little importance for more years than I’d like to recount. I molded myself into uncomfortable forms, clung fast to ideals and idols not my own, murdered my own creativity and imagination; at least I thought I did.

I found him over fifteen years later, broken and bruised, bleeding and emaciated. He was much stronger than I knew – adamantine even – and he recovered very fast. While it feels I have been nurturing and breathing life back into him, he has perhaps enlivened and enriched me more so. This is what happens when you harness your creativity, and let imagination take ahold of your soul.

For those fifteen years of blind ambition pursuing success in the business world, my attitude was, “If I’m going to read something, I want to learn things that will aid me in my pursuits.” As a result, I almost solely read non-fiction, any narratives were of the allegorical self-help type. As my values changed, as did my circumstances, I decided to try reading purely to enjoy a good story. During the four years leading up to this point, I had discovered unexpected joy in writing, and received a substantial amount of positive feedback blogging in the self-help space and writing for a faith-based website. I saw how words, ideas, and stories can make an impact; I discovered the revelation of how much truth and wisdom can be hidden within made-up stories – lies conveying truth.

I remembered the middle school boy reading Stephen King, Michael Crichton, Tom Clancy, and Clive Cussler. I recalled the high schooler not able to think of an “emotionally impactful event” for an English paper; he instead wrote about the horror of coming home to find his twelve-foot pet reticulated python decapitated after escaping and attempting to eat the neighbor’s dog. He barely kept a straight face when his teacher asked him to read his fictional narrative to the class. I reminisced all the stories that I loved from childhood to the present: the dark, the strange, the terrifying, the hilarious, the fantastic, the heart-wrenching, and the uplifting. My world that had felt shattered apart suddenly came together in a powerful convergence – a deep understanding.

Then, I began to write and write and write. First snippets and ideas, then short stories, then I somehow managed to write a novel in sporadic bursts – fits and starts. When I write, I come alive, I find joy previously unknown. To me, a life spent reading and writing while surrounded by those you love the most, is a life well-lived.

Here you’ll find updates on my journey as a writer, quotes, and resources I’ve found inspirational, small samples of my writing and links to some select stories I’m uploading on Wattpad. I’m currently seeking publication for my first novel and a variety of my short stories. I hope you enjoy my site.

– Jason

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