I've lately been consumed by a story. I started it ten days ago, feels like ten years. I've neglected a lot of other things like homework and friends. (and this blog.)

I write, nowadays, free-hand in my journal pad and then basically write a second-draft as I type it. It's a lengthy process and with this story, I've written farrr more than I could possibly use. I've scribbled as many ideas and random asides as I can onto paper. When, um, if, I ever get become more professional, I'll probably have to be more efficent. Another benefit of my "young writer status" is I'm free to write whatever the hell I feel like.

The story, entitled "Gone," is about 9/11, kinda. 9/11 is the first scene, it's the cataylst that sets off a series of events within a group of friends. Like most of my stories, it's first person, but is divided in focus between the narrator (Matt) and his friend he's decided to go find, lost, somewhere in the Middle East. The story is a mainstream (i.e. "no weridness") character piece, so, instead of relaying solely on my imagination to help create the story, I've used a lot of friends-as-templates and news events as settings, pop culture references and even some historical figure metaphors. I'm hoping to use this story as a soap box to do some minor critiques on American culture.

At the risk of sounding puffed-up, I cram a lot of ideas into my work so that the story resonates and is memorable. I don't want to write stuff that's forgotten in five mintues, that can be summed up by a cliche. I don't want to change the world, but influencing or inspiring a couple hundred people would be nice. If that means giving everything I have to every story I write, that's what I'm going to continue to do.

Now, back to it.