Life has a way of testing a person, sometimes continually. As I am typing this, I realize that the difficulties I have faced in my life are trivial to what others have faced and it feels a little bit like whining to me.

Still, we all get used to a certain lifestyle. When we are removed from that lifestyle for something less, it is jarring. It is a test to see how we will react. Will we adapt to the new life, will we struggle and fight our way back to where we were (or beyond) or will we roll over and die.

I would like to think that I will fight my way back up to former glories and then continue on to new ones. Still, even adapting can be daunting.

I have found myself being tested the past while. Many of the tests have been around my own mental and emotion toughness. There have been many days where I’ve struggled to meet the challenges. But I remind myself that I have writing commitments to finish, not to mention a family to support and a life to live.

And, so I have been doing all of those things.

I will confess, the writing has been more difficult. I haven’t felt the same level of excitement that I had been. Still, the words are flowing and that adds some level of comfort. It also gets me ever closer to finishing that first draft of Mik Murdoch and the Power Within. As I type the title, I realize how apt it is. I too am trying to find that inner power that will allow me to rise to former heights and beyond.

Is that what truly makes me a writer? I don’t honestly know the answer to that. All I do know is that I must write and in the process of doing so, I am stronger.

I hope I can pass this test.

Tags: Michell Plested, mik murdoch, Mik Murdoch and the Power Within, resolve, writing

I’ve spent the past few months working on editing A Method to the Madness: A Guide to the Super Evil. When I first considered putting an anthology out, I thought it would be an easy way to get another book out with my name on the cover. After all, I would only be writing one of the many stories for the anthology. How hard would it be?

Yeah, every time I say something like that, I come to regret mouthing the words. Editing is not my natural state and it was a LOT of work. Just ask my co-editor, Jeffrey Hite. He will tell you.

What ended up happening is, I spent lots of time editing and very little time writing. I lost my writing rhythm.

That really frustrated my muse, especially when I am DYING to get the next Mik Murdoch written.

So, when we wrapped up the editing of the anthology, I started writing again. It feels great!

So, I am now back to writing daily. I am averaging over 1,000 words per day for the past week. Mik Murdoch, which has been sitting at 20% complete (first draft) is now over 27% complete and growing. I am on track to finishing it in March. Good times are being had again on the writing front.

Don’t get me wrong, I loved doing the anthology. In fact, with some of the promotional pieces we are setting up, there is still a lot of fun to be had. I’m looking forward to promotion more than ever before.

But it isn’t writing.

Now I am churning out new material and the sun seems to be shining just a little bit brighter.

Tags: a method to the madness: a guide to the super evil, boy superhero, editing, jeffrey hite, Michell Plested, mik murdoch, promotion, writing