Musings going forward...

     So, with no fanfic coming out, what do I put here anymore? This has always been my writing place, so I think I'll keep it that way, with a few outliers thrown in for good fun.

    I think I'm actually writing more now than I ever did before, it's just a lot more focused and a lot less off-the-cuff. Having gone through the ringer and all of getting something actually published, I'm finding that it changes my viewpoint on so many things. I talked before about writing in an owned universe, but that is just the tip of the spear.

    The way I read has even changed. I eat up the non-fiction stuff with an eye for what would make a great story to explore in more depth. My mind goes off in so many different directions now. Sure, I want to know what's happening as much as the next person, but every entry, every little quip, they all touch off a firestorm of possibilities. 

    And it's tremendously different writing as a 'fan' and writing as someone who wants to write for publication. In a lot of ways, the stories and ideas are less personal, because you're fitting them into an already existing puzzle. But in other ways, there is a real connection, you're drilling down into a character's head, trying to understand them, trying to get to know them, and then placing them into the story or problem that you've just come up with.

    You start to look at other people's stories and how they project them in a whole different light. It's a little like watching a stage production. You normally just sit back and watch the show. But then imagine watching the show from the rafters. You're still seeing the same show, but the vantage point is so much different. You see how things are being done, you see the moving pieces all interacting, and you see the audience as well.  It gives you a whole new understanding of the stage hands and the production crew. You're seeing the story unfold from a myriad of different angles all at once, and it's absolutely fascinating.

    And as you might expect, it gives you a completely different view on how the world exists and is managed. When you get a peek at the machinery working, it's an amazing thing that makes you take account of yourself and all the notions that you've had about how things work. And it's cool! I imagine it's like this for any number of things, but it never loses the shine when you see something with the eyes of a child for the first time.

    Speaking of children, yes, it's official that Sophie and I are expecting twins this November. I'm finding the way that I look at even simple things in life is changing as my brain is wrapping itself around the concept of being a mother. It's weird, and crazy, and wonderful all at once! I always figured I would be terrified if a moment like this ever came, and to be sure, there are plenty of nerves and worries. But there are so many more things that make me smile and make me realize how lucky I am to have found my place in life and the world. I hope this feeling never goes away.