I'm excited to share a new guest post by the very talented J.D. Estrada. Communications
specialist, Public Relations strategist, creative copywriter,
translator, brand strategist.... these are all terms used to describe
J.D. Estrada in his day job setting. The
fact is that these are all masks he has worn at some time to earn a
living and he's done pretty well for himself, focusing on results rather
than awards. Yet still something inside him begged for attention... the
desire to write... not functionally or strategically but creatively.
After
years working in advertising, J.D. decided there were better ways to
write fiction. Where some people
choose to invent new products, he has chosen to invent worlds through
words. He
has since published multiple books in the fantasy/sci-fi vein.
J.D.'s post below chronicles his quest to remain true to his
writing and to himself. Hopefully his words will inspire you to do the same.
Don't Write for the Market
You
know that job you hate, the one you do just to pay the bills? The one that
sucks your soul? If you’re in high school, do you know that class you are
FORCED to take? That feeling of helplessness, of doing something that’s not
worth the time or the effort?
That’s
what it means to write for the market.
Or
at least that’s what it means to me.
People
have often said I made a smart move by including vampires in my book because
obviously vampires sell like hot cakes. This line of commentary has led me to
clarify that my novels aren’t vampire books, they simply have vampires. Might I add that they are not your typical vampires
because I focus much more on the character traits that make them unique rather
than the unifying elements of blood drinking and other vampire specific themes.
To be honest, the vampires I write about are as heterogeneous as they are
disparate, two seeming synonyms that imply different things. To me, the main
thing that unites vampires is the drinking of blood. The Human Cycle is a lot
more about the aspects of humanity and how they manifest in different races and
species and ends up being an intense mashup of sci-fi, fantasy, philosophy,
etc. It is also one of the most personal works I will probably pen in my life,
even being full on fiction. That’s because I wrote for me, obeying the vision I
have of my exploration of humanity and the human aspect.
The
first book (Only Human) is 164,000+ words long and the second (Shadow of a
Human) is around 89K. When asked about the difference, my answer is simple: the
story is as long as it has to be. Period. I’ve been told the first one is too
long and although I can see why some people would think that, a lot of people
haven’t minded and it allowed me to set the stage to do exactly what I want to
do.
I
know people who are writing something in the vein of [ENTER WELL KNOWN NOVEL OR
SERIES HERE] because they want to make it big. Although I’m of the mind that
everyone is entitled to their path towards happiness, let me be the one to say
that this method will more often than not lead to misery instead. This happens
because writing became a means to an end, rather than a true passion.
Every
writer wants to make it big. Every single one. Some people write something that
sells and on occasion, some people meant for that to be the case. But when you
look at JK Rowling, look at how many times she was rejected before she was
given a break. Tell me Neil Gaiman’s trajectory makes any sense and you’ll need
to bring some hard evidence to support that because it is as crazy a journey as
I think you can imagine. That’s because in both examples, they write from the
heart, what they believe in, their vision, what drives them. They weren’t
thinking about likes, hits, or bending their story to fit to what sells.
So
why not you?
Why
do you have to settle for writing the next Twilight, the Next 50 Shades of
Gray, the Next Lord of the Rings? Why can’t you just write the next great
novel? YOUR great story.
By
the way, the reason why I suggest this is far
from altruistic. (altruism: (n) the principle or practice of unselfish concern
for or devotion to the welfare of others (opposed to egoism).
It’s
actually the opposite.
I
suggest you write with passion and what drives you because if you depend on
external validation, writing will be a brutal road and odds are you won’t make
it. Many a day I need to lose myself in my work, hoping beyond hopes that I am
true enough, unique enough, and genuine enough for people to give me a chance
and possibly find something they like. But I don’t write thinking about them. I
write following what my heart compass dictates and walking that path, whatever
it may bring and wherever it may take me.
I am
well aware at how blessed I am at the luck I’ve had that my work either appeals
or resonates with people, but that wasn’t intentional. I didn’t say, “let me do
this so people enjoy.”
I
wrote for me.
I
write for me.
I
will write for me.
I do
this because by doing so I guarantee myself that even on the tough days of
life, writing will be something I love and enjoy. It means I won’t have to push
through something I hate to get to what I love, because the act of writing
itself is what I love so much.
I am
far from a point in my life where I can live off of my writing alone… but I am
also in a point in my life where writing has become such a part of my genetic
makeup, that I have basically guaranteed I’ll write for the rest of my life. So
I wish upon you to do the same in spirit if not in method or route. Be true to
yourself. Write to what speaks to you. Dare to dream and then dare to capture
that dream on paper and share it with us.
Peace,
love, and maki rolls.
J.D. Estrada's obsession with the human aspect of who we are is deeply
embedded in all his work and his first book is no exception. Though
still starting its journey towards the top 100 Amazon books,
Only Human
is the first link within the Human Cycle, a three book exploration of
humanity through fiction.
He recently released his second installment of the Human
Cycle, his first bilingual compilation of essays, poetry and short stories, and
his first Spanish poetry collection. He is currently working on a sci-fi novella
and a young adult adventure of a boy who dreams of flying. In addition, he
consistently puts out free material on his blog (
jdestradawriter.blogspot.com)
and rants with zest on Twitter via @jdestradawriter. He also has instagram and
youtube if you want to see what he’s getting up to or what delicious cuppa tea
he may recommend.
It's extremely important that authors write for themselves, to remain passionate about their art; otherwise, what's the point? As soon as I stop thinking about what I think I should write, and write what I want to write, all the pieces fall into place. Just let it go. Seriously...Let it go. Now. You won't be sorry.
Thank you for sharing such an inspirational post, J.D.! I wish you, and all writers out there, success with your writing career.
