One Day, One Thousand

Here's the deal, kids.

I'm a writer.

Maybe not a great one; maybe not even a good one, but it's what I am.

For as long as I can remember, I've wanted to write. Write something, anything that people would read, that would start discussion, that would encourage thought. I've read a fair bit, debated with myself a whole bunch and a year ago decided to go part-time to pursue my chosen path.

Guess what? It's hard.

I've picked up work copywriting and blogging, done work for companies great and stupid, and worked (and worked) on novels and short stories of my own, hoping to break into the business.

The more I learn about it, the more I see the publishing industry as a place where luck and timing matter as much as skill and where "the best" don't necessarily make it.

I've tried a few blogs - I had aspirations to do a video game review blog, started a letter-writing blog to encourage companies to be less moronic (with some hilarious results) - but they never seemed to take off.

Meanwhile, I've seen "stunt blogs" and journalism of the same garner serious interest and result in great success for authors of all kinds, and I thought to myself "that's what I need! A hook, a gimmick, something to keep me coming back every single day."

And so, out walking my dog in the six-foot snow that is our neighbourhood, I had a bright idea.

One year - starting January 24, 2011 - 365 short stories, each 1,000 words long (including title). They're going to be about everything and anything I can think of, and won't be canned or re-written - every story will be created from scratch, that day.

I'm scared, frankly. I already write a great deal and I'm not sure where 1,000 more words are going to fit. I'm worried no one will read what I write, or that many will and will hate it. I'm more concerned that I'll give up on this just like I give up on everything else.

There's nothing for it, though; my muse commands me, regardless of my talent, to chart this course. Join me if you like, join me and see just what a year of writing, every single day, will do to a man.

- D