Paving A New Path

Since I was little, I would always do things my own way. I would pave my own path, a new path. I remember being six-years-old and wanting snacks, but it wasn’t 10 A.M. yet. So, in my childhood wisdom, I changed the clocks to 10 A.M. and I got that snack.

My mom would always say that I was the most determined kid she knew. She’s always said, “If you wanted something, you found a way to get it.”

Sure, there’s been times where I’ve “failed.” Take writing my first novel, H, as example. (which I plan to publish sometime in the foreseeable future) I quit my job and went all out, convincing myself that this would be my break.

Yes, I had always heard that you needed a platform. But, if I’m being perfectly honest, that scared the shit out of me. Posting myself on the internet? How could someone do that? So, I didn’t build a platform. The only thing I concentrated on for nine months was writing. I’d wake up at 5 P.M. and starting writing at 8 P.M. I would then stop writing around 3-to 5 A.M. Then the cycle would start again.

Recently, my illusion that I could make it without a platform has been shattered. But were all those nine months a waste of time? Of course not. I learned many things, improved my writing, and made connections in the publishing industry. In fact, I even email a publisher back and forth, multiple times a week. So, if I learned things, and improved, did I really fail?