I know some people in a profession, like writing, might look at other activities as a waste of time. I hear other authors complaining about how life takes them away from their creative time.

While I understand, I would have to disagree with this take.

Writing may be a major focal point of my life, it’s not the only part of my life. God, family, words, cooking, games, cars … all of these fractional things make up the whole that is my life. And they don’t exist in a vacuum. They help create the framework for the worlds that pour out of my mind.

Life guides my writing.

I’ll never understand the authors who hide themselves away from the world and then try to write about it. I know the imagination can create unseen wonders, but at their core, the worlds that pull their origins from real life are the most relatable.

I’d like to say Atom & Go has this. The setting might be fantastic, but at the core it’s a simple story about a father and his daughter. They’re having to navigate their world and come to grips with tragedy. They have to interact with other people. They have to learn to trust and find ways to press on to the future.

Will the future be successful?

Is life ever fully successful? Nope. Tragedy, stumbles, and skinned knees help us grow into the people we are today. The same goes for my characters. Challenges make them stronger.

As I’ve said in previous posts, nobody really likes stories without arc.

People like arc because it’s closer to real life. It’s relatable. Life might be nicer if there were fewer things to trip us up, but would we be the same people we are today? I know there are a few movies and books that really touch on this, but Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind is the one that springs from my thoughts.

Without the bad, we wouldn’t have the knowledge to appreciate the good.

In that vein, I embrace the other stuff life throws at me. Having to work on the car to keep it running might be a pain, but at the same time, it gives me a perspective for when Byron has to keep the One Way Ticket flying the Black.

Or maybe having my kids punch me in the eye helps me empathize with a baddy gets a fistful of Margo’s fury.

Does fixing dinner help me write a scene with crazy ingredients in a space-kitchen?

Well, life translates onto the pages. Every author projects a portion of themselves onto the page. Some things are themselves and others are people they have encountered in their travels.

But where do hermit authors find their inspiration.

Mystery …

Well, I’m going to get back to my writing, or life, or fixing that squeak in the van.

In the meantime, keep on reading, keep on eating ice cream, and keep on flying the Black.