Hello, Readers! Clevenger here!

Three wishes… for our writing career? Well, that is an interesting thought. It sounds like a “fluffy” question, but introspectively, it makes me think about what writing means to me. Why did I become a writer (Or why did I allow Graham to re-forge my dream and trick me into embracing my writer’s side that I forgot was in there?) What does writing mean to me and what would I gain or lose?

Three wishes… for our writing career? Tales of Genies and their “hidden” agendas and tricky nature roll through my thoughts. What would I gain or lose? Well, that would depend on the type of Genie I have in front of me, and the wording of my desires.

Three wishes… for our writing career? What would be the best things for me? Lifestyle-wise, I’m in a pretty good space, so I get the luxury of really just thinking about the work, and my wishes kinda lean directly into it. My wishes are from a perspective of “dream big,” “be lazy(ish),” and “love people.” But ironically, they aren’t TOO far away from Graham’s wishes. Just a slightly different take.

My first wish. “Stories of Sainan become the next big thing! That it becomes a pop-culture staple.” POOF! I’m hanging out at conventions, talking with big name authors and other creators. We get invited to Critical Role to hang out and game with the cast. People are wandering around with T-shirts with the Manticore Logo on them, or my favorite line from the series “Old Bones, Old Ways.” (You’ll see it in “Manticore’s Shadow” but it becomes a thing in Book 2 and the rest of the series)

Really, this isn’t much different from Graham’s wishes for a speedy publication deal and a dedicated fan-base. Putting the weight of a Publishing House behind us and allowing our story to get into the hands of more people. I’m just amplifying it with the people LOVING the story as much as I do. Maybe that will happen, but maybe it won’t. But if I got a Genie, let’s make it happen. Although, most Genies have a rule about making people fall in love with some-ONE. Does that prevent making them love some-THING? Would I feel as satisfied not knowing who loves our story because it speaks to them, or who just loves it because I made them? Who knows?! Let’s give it a try.

“Genie! My second wish… I wish I could write as fast as I can visualize. That the words would appear on the page exactly as I see the scene in my mind.” POOF! Scenes are now pouring out of my head. I’m not sitting in front of a screen, agonizing over my word choices. Writing, deleting, re-writing, and deleting again all until I get the scene down. The action scenes (which I struggle with) would be crisper and more fluid. And with the ability, I could divert more time to other endeavors.

I love telling stories, but sometimes the mechanics bog me down. This wish would allow me to tell more stories, or tell the stories I have quicker and spend more time with my wife and kiddo. This is not too dissimilar to Graham’s dream about financial freedom (and it was actually one of his “superpower” wishes that he considered). For me, I’m okay financially, but TIME is my enemy. I have so many responsibilities with work and family that finding time to write (especially the days where the words are slow in coming) can be tricky.

But would it have a double-edged blade? Would I feel as satisfied when the words were on the paper? Do I love story-telling as much as I actually love writing? Do I only look at the negatives of the struggle, but forget the pride I have when it actually works?

“Genie, I wish for your fre… No, wait a second. You ain’t Robin Williams, I don’t KNOW you! I’m getting my three wishes!”

“My third and FINAL wish… I wish OUR world was more like Sainan. I wish that people could love and accept each other for WHO they are!” The least selfish of my wishes is that people could truly just let down their barriers and see that we are all SO much more alike than we are different. That love and acceptance were the norm, rather than the vitriol that we see in so much of todays media.

When “Manticore’s Shadow” get’s published (either big name, or self) and we have some small panels about it, (which I actually think we will someday, even if it’s just us at small conventions), I wish that I didn’t have to have arguments prepared for the inevitable flood of hate that will stream down because we dared present a friendship, a coming of age, and a love story with a gay character. The hate and ire that will rain down because the women in our story aren’t beholden to the men and act independently of our main characters, and with their own free will. I think our target audience will love it, but I know we will have our haters.

But I wish that hate wasn’t also against the people whose voices we hope to represent and inspire. This may be the “World Peace” wish that everyone claims they would use, but I actually think I would choose this if the Genie was there in front of me. How would the magic work? What would the changes look like? How would society be after the spell took hold? Who knows?! But it’s worth a shot, right?

Well, that’s it.

Three wishes… for our writing career. Interesting.

Now, let’s see how Graham feels about the gauntlet that I have lovingly laid out at his feet. These are not “better” than his wishes, just different. And also, in many ways, the same.

Until next time.

Be Kind

-Clevenger