My Start at Writing Novels

Hello, everyone.

This first post is about when I started writing. It is the answer to a question I get asked often:

"How did you decide what to write about?"

Or, "What made you write about adventure?"

When I decided to try writing, after my daughters encouraged me to share my stories, I considered what genre would give me the most freedom to share what I have loved, studied, and learned over the decades.

In choosing the genre I would write in, I was following the advice of the famous western novelist Louis L'Amour. When he started writing, he first decided what genre he would write in. Then he studied successful authors in that genre.

I did the same. Adventure gave me the freedom to include everything I love. The quirks of people, history, science, psychology, exploration, sword fighting, climbing, and the struggle between good and evil all fit naturally into adventure stories. It was the perfect vehicle for sharing the things that have fascinated me throughout my life.

Because sciences are a big part of what I've studied, my books do have a distinct science fiction flavor. That comes out stronger in some books than in others. I do try to share my love of science and encourage younger readers not to be frightened of science.

I still study other authors. I also study other artists: painters, musicians, and movie directors. Writing is both an art and a craft. I continually work at improving my craft, and I look for inspiration in the work of other artists.

At the same time, my stories are uniquely my own. Creativity has always come naturally to me, and it has been a tremendous blessing in my storytelling. Also, my stories are not purely entertainment. They are also meant to inspire and encourage. In each story, certain themes grow on their own. My job has been to recognize those themes and research the subjects that arise in my stories, such as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). To my joy and satisfaction, the themes in my stories have resonated with many people of all ages and backgrounds.

I often say that I write for kids from nine to ninety, and I make exceptions. I believe all of us are still kids at heart. If we let ourselves, we can all be entertained by basic good-against-evil stories. We all need encouragement and inspiration to be the best we can be.

I firmly believe that we can all be awesome. It just takes doing the next small right thing.

Writing and sharing what I have written is my next right thing. I do it for me, and, more importantly, I do it for you.

Take care.