A look back at 2013

Yes, it’s that time of year again, where I self-indulgently look back at the year that was 2013. The year ended with a whimper as I was sick for most of December with a variety of ailments that led me to believe I was someone’s science experiment.

In contrast, the year started off well as I attended the Borderlands Boot Camp in January. I learned a hell of a lot from F. Paul Wilson and Douglas Winters and met a great gang of writer folks. Unfortunately, I felt the experience overall was a bit of a downer and really tested by confidence as a writer, which is something that I constantly struggle with. The amount of time I spend second guessing myself and my talents is startling. But, I know I’m not the only one that feels that way.

I took me a considerable amount of time to recover and I think I’ve built myself up stronger than before. And this resurrection of sorts was great timing as I prepared a pitch for the San Diego Comic Con comic creator connection event in July. While I didn’t find a suitable artistic match to go forward with my comic book idea, it did teach me a lot about the art of the pitch.

And that experience paid off as I built up the courage to pitch to a Del-Rey editor at the San Diego Comic Con. A few months later, I received an email from the editor asking to see my novel. So that submission package has been my focus for the end of the 2013.

I worked on the plot for Spirit Quest and hammered out 50,000 words during November’s NaNoWriMo. It wasn’t the most beautiful prose, but it was a great exercise to work through the swirling story ideas I had.

And for the past month, I’ve been tightening up my synopsis for Spirit Quest and fleshing out characters. I’m really looking forward to 2014 and using it to make a leap in my writing career.

SDCC 2013 - Comic Creator Connection

This summer will mark the third and last year of my professional status at the San Diego Comic Con. So, I'm looking to make the most of it as I haven't been through the renewal process and won't take it for granted that I'll get it again.

I heard about the Comic Creator Connection back in 2011 when I had previously attended, but the event was already full. I didn't go last year, but this year I'm already booked for the big show. When I saw the announcement again this year for the Comic Creator Connection, I didn't hesitate.

http://www.comic-con.org/cci/creator-connection

What's the Comic Creator Connection? 

"Are you a writer with a great idea for a comic book series, but you can't draw? Or maybe you're an artist looking to illustrate a story and you can’t write. Perhaps both of you are looking to jumpstart your careers in comics. At Comic-Con 2013, you just might find each other!
Comic-Con will once again host the Comic Creator Connection, an event that puts writers and artists together to see whether they can find their creative counterparts.

Writers and artists can sit down and meet each other in a neutral environment. In 5-minute sessions, you can talk one-on-one with individual prospective collaborators about their ideas and skills. At the end of each 5-minute period, you will get up and move on to the next person. If you're interested in furthering the conversation, you place your contact info (name and e-mail address) on a supplied card for that prospective partner."

So I have 23 days to get my one-page pitch package together! I have two competing projects, my Tow Truck/Shaman story and my Darkness story. It's been great inspiration so far!