Journal

Connecting
I think I’m starting to understand a better way to connect with readers on topics that come from a different worldview, namely Christianity in my case. I’ve read pieces that directly confront the reader on certain issues, telling him or her how to feel or react based on what the writer thinks. I prefer pieces that draw me into a character’s conflict without blaming me for it. In light of this, what I’m trying to do in my latest piece is to self-reflect (through the protagonist) about something I’m struggling with. I’m not looking to score political points or to say, “You must believe what I do.”

Researching and Writing
The latest science fiction rough draft is approaching one thousand words in length, and the first few paragraphs came trickling along. Even after doing considerable research, once I started writing, I had more ideas pop into my mind, and I needed to do further research to put a shade of reality upon those ideas. I feel like there is a lot of flesh upon this fiction, a weight of fact that will hopefully settle plot and characters into the reader’s mind. I’m mixing this research with a lot of personal experiences for the protagonist. Additionally, I’m tweaking (in hopes of improving) how I write third person narratives. Writing this story is becoming an adventure unto itself.

Research
I completed the final draft on the fantasy story. Now, I’m doing research for a new science fiction story. I realize that there is license for the fantastic elements within science fiction, but I like to base such elements on as much realism as possible. Plus, I just get intrigued by scientific facts and theories as well as technological possibilities.