Through Laughter & Tears: Remembering Robin Williams

It's taken me almost a day to be able to think properly enough to formulate what I ached to say about all of this. So here's hoping I don't ramble too much.

Yesterday I was having a bad day. After being away from my writing for far too long, I came back to my desk and was quick to sense 'The Fear', as it ticked away in the back of my brain like a bug I can't squash.

The Fear, in my own personal case, has always been strongest when I fail to live up to my own expectations. My mind begins to twist every good thing that I have going for myself into things I should be embarrassed by. I begin doubting my choices, my worth, and my value.

My usual word count of at least 2,000 words a day was cut down to a mere 200. Instead of outlining future projects that I had been excited about beginning, I sat back and debated whether any of them were any good at all; consistently focusing on the negative for no reason other than to perpetuate my own frustration.

I eventually submitted to the Fear, and stopped thinking about writing. I turned to the internet for numbing entertainment, anything that my stuck-on-pessimistic mindframe would be able to absorb/ignore.

And it was then that I heard the news of Robin Williams' passing.

It's sad that it took the death of someone so precious to the world to bring me out of my funk, but it really was like being kicked in the groin.

I found myself crying. Full on 'get out the buckets' crying.

Like most of the world, I never personally knew or met Robin Williams. So why is it that his death has impacted me so?

I could go on forever about how the man's career and personality directly influenced me. As a kid I dreamed of being able to do what he did. Not acting or doing stand up. I'm talking about making people smile, making them laugh. What is a greater gift than laughter? This concept alone is what I've always striven towards, whether it be through art, music, film or writing.

I could talk about how as a child I would watch Hook multiple times in a row, and how as an adult I've done the same (To live would be a great adventure).

I could talk about how every time I see Robin Williams cry in a film I start to cry as well.

I could go on about how much this man meant to me personally, as a complete stranger from a different country, but it wasn't for any of my own personal reasons that I was so upset by his passing.

What impacted me the most was the idea that this man, this embodiment of energy and happiness and love, a person who was adored the whole world over by a multitude of generations, still was a man who carried his demons.

It frightened, and humbled me to think that even Robin Williams could let his worries and fears get to him that drastically; that he still suffered in his daily life despite how many people loved and cared about him.

It dawned upon me that depression/anxiety/whatever you want to call it, is not something that just goes away when life decides to tip the scales in your favor. You can become a household name, make money doing the thing that you love, earn the respect of your peers and colleagues, and yet it will be never enough to satisfy 'The Fear'.

I push myself to the point of insanity every day-- every ounce of it self induced. I rarely ever feel that I'm living up to my fullest potential because of this pressure I put on myself. And as much I know that's something won't go away, I know also that I can't give up the fight. 'The Fear' will always try to bring me down, but its up to me to push back against it.

It saddens me to think that Robin Williams had fought the battle so dearly for so long. It is well understood in the world of comedy that most humor comes from a dark place, and obviously with Williams it was no exception. It was from that pain that such electricity and love was able to come out of his performances. He took that negativity and turned into something positive that made the world around smile. He made us laugh.

Someone on Twitter elegantly posted, "You never know another man's burden until he puts it down and you feel the ground shake."

In Robin Williams' case, I would say the world has indeed felt it.

Yesterday we lost one of the world's greatest comedic minds and a truly genuine person.

Know that he didn't lose his battle to depression, and that there are no losers in this war.

Know that whatever problems you face in your life, whatever they may be, are temporary, and need no permanent solutions.

Know that love is always there just around the corner, and that laughter is the best medicine.

Know that you're not alone in this, and there will always be people ready and willing to help and support you through the hard times.

Crisis Call Center: 800-273-8255 or text ANSWER to 839863 

Rest in peace, you sweet, sweet man. Your laughter touched thousands, your smile brought out those in others. Thank you for everything you gave us, I know you gave it all.

Writers Vs. Storytellers: The Great Debate

I've had some time the past few days to do some thinking. During that time I've been debating to myself, friends, and colleagues some of the major issues in publishing and indie writing that a lot of upcoming authors are facing.

One of these main discussions was the tough to crack debate over difference between Writers and Storytellers.

When authors first sit down to start their next project, a slew of possibilities opens up with the creation of that fresh blank Word document. Where the ideas come from is often irrelevant; it is within human nature that the concept of storytelling and prose comes from, and it doesn't take an award-winning writer to come up with a great story to tell around a campfire that captivates each of the campers no matter what age.

So, if everyone in the world has the potential to be a storyteller, what is the true definition of a writer?

I've had the time to think about and have come up with this:

Anyone can be a part-time story teller, but not everyone can be a full-time writer.

Coming up with fantastical worlds, great characters and dialogue-- these things do not make a writer.

These qualities make you human. 

What really defines an author or writer is the fact that once you have come up with an amazing concept and world, you actually take the needed time to get it down on paper. The point where your story has been told and the text has filled the page to the point of completion, THAT is when you are a writer.

Neil Gaiman described writing as being as easy as typing one word after another, and also that hard.

Since we all from our daily experiences and histories have enough to draw upon to create amazing stories, it takes a different kind of person to actually translate those ideas into something concrete that you can hold in your hand. Telling a story and writing a book are universally different things, though the two can often be mistaken.

"I wish I had your job. You just sit around and come up with ideas all day."

Wrong. If I got paid simply for pitching concepts so other authors could go off and write them, I'd probably be doing a hell of a lot better financially. The only place this kind of thing happens is in Hollywood, where writers are treated as replaceable hand-monkeys without the silly hats.

So ultimately, writing is not storytelling as much as the two are intertwined. You cannot be a great writer without being a great storyteller, BUT being a great storyteller does not make you a writer and vice versa.

What all aspiring writers face is the point where they figure out if they are a real writer, or just a great storyteller. The sooner that person figures that out, the sooner they'll either crack down and get writing that book, or shelve it forever and find a new hobby, because that's all it really was.

But I'm not saying there is no hope, nor am I saying that being a writer is an exclusive club open only to those that follow a specific guideline that I will post later. That's just silly.

What I'm saying is that you need to differentiate passion and work.

If you're a writer, that is your job. 

Don't like to work? Don't be a writer. 

If you simply have your head in the clouds, dreaming of dragons and rocket ships with big titted ladies riding dinosaurs with machine gun heads, and have no real drive to get that idea out to the world one word at time?

You're a storyteller, and a strange one at that.

The best way to turn this whole concept upside down is when you actually DO realize you have the balls to be an author and want to go about it in the correct manner. The best way to go about creating fiction or non-fiction is to write what you know and what you know people will love.

Think about your favorite television shows, music, and movies. Even if whatever project isn't a blockbuster smash, it still has that small and loyal cult following behind it.

Why?

Because people are storytellers, and what do storytellers love most?

Stories.

So bear that in mind when deciding your next project. No matter what, someone is going to love your book. It might be lost amidst the swelling market, and there may be some who hate it, but in the end you will find exposure one reader at a time.

Building that fanbase is as easy as making friends. If you are not a friendly person or a good friend, best of luck trying to get people to like you, let alone buy from you.

In a world where everyone can be a storyteller, authors need to realize that all readers have the potential to be storytellers themselves. With that in mind, writers need to understand they can't get away with putting out a sub-par project.

Readers know shit storytelling as much as an author would. Authors are not the the authority over what is good, nor are the editors or publishers. The readers are. The worldwide circle of storytellers keep us in line.

So the next time you sit down to start writing, remember to keep your readers at the same level as you. As a writer, you are at the mercy of your readers and reviewers. Give them what you would want to receive yourself, tell the story you want to hear.

Or else, some other storyteller will call you on your bullshit, and you'll know your true failing.

Custom Ebook Cover Design

Hello, everyone!

As some of you readers might now know, I have been offering my services as an ebook cover designer to the public. I do all of my own covers and have lately started doing work for writer friends.

I intend to charge cheaply for covers, and have even done some for free in exchange for promotion of my work. I believe having a community of creative people with different skill sets is essential and lucrative; if we all can in one way or another pitch in towards each others' works, we can help each other succeed in ways that we alone could not otherwise.

Click here to visit my Ebooks Page and have a look at the upcoming titles I've done the covers for.

Also, here are some links to books by author friend, Scott Richards, for whom I have done the covers for his latest works.

Click on the images to visit their respective Amazon.com pages.

Landon's Prison (synopsis):

On the last night of his life, all Landon Price wanted to do was make a cake in memory of his father’s death. A trip to the corner store for milk changed everything when some local thugs tried robbing the place. Trapped inside the store, officer Price called for back-up, but a lucky shot to his chest ended his life. True to his nature, he died bravely protecting others.

And then he woke up.

Surrounded by walking, talking insects, trapped in a body he has no control over, Landon finds himself in a situation impossible to explain. What’s worse, his career spent safeguarding the innocent now seemed for naught as his body – wild, with a mind of its own – slaughters and wreaks havoc upon those that created it.

LANDON’S PRISON is a sci-fi action adventure set aboard an alien ship where a genetic experiment has gone awry. Landon must discover what’s happened, and try to gain control of his prison before it murders every living thing aboard the ship.

 

 

Spiritually Deficient (synopsis):

John Catcher is a normal man with an abnormal job just trying to relax, eat some pizza, and watch his soaps in peace. This is his daily routine, and has been ever since the rest of his team deemed him "unfit" for field work.

No! That's fine!

See, John Catcher watches possessed items. Angry ghosts, ancient and evil spirits, demons minor and major - really, anything capable of possessing a human. It's his job now to, well, babysit them. It sucks, but he gets plenty of TV time.

Or, he would have if someone hadn't summoned one of his charges.

What starts as a simple fetching of a stray demon prince turns into a full blown catastrophe when he returns home to find his house had been broken into, and the rest of the vessels gone. To make things worse, his only lead is a young paranormal investigator staking out the place that refuses to tell him who did it unless John agrees to let him come with.

He's going to miss his soaps...

New episodes released every Tuesday!

If you feel like you'd like to talk about me doing your next ebook cover, leave a comment below, or send me a personal email at xavier.granville01@yahoo.ca or theideapool@gmail.com

 

The Post of Things To Come

Hey, folks. Just thought I would do a quick update as to talk about what The Idea Pool has in store for publishing in the next few weeks.

My good friend Tyler Sellars and I are hard at work on a new 10 part serialized novel, which we will be giving away the first episode for FREE, and selling the full set of 10 novellas for 5.99.

At the same time, I am even more hard at work currently trying to finish up my first 60,000 word novel, Now Hiring, to be released mid October, much later than I expected due to the book growing in length and detail each time I sat down to write it.

I recently, alongside, challenged myself to write 12 separate shorter works to be sold as a collection. The catch was that I would use four single word writing prompts to come up with the ideas for each of the stories. (Eg. Dust, Rain, Lock, Balloon)

The process has been quite fun; developing the individual storylines went in directions I never would have expected and I am quite happy with some of them so far. The expected length of the full length shorts will eventually range anywhere between 5,000-30,000 words. The ultimate goal of the whole collection of short stories for all 12 is around 100,000 words.

Other than that, I am just adjusting to my move to Toronto and taking in the sights of the city while looking for part time work to keep my head above water.

Look forward to more releases soon! Until next time: Be Awesome!