Michael Joseph

I began writing when I was 11 years old. At the time, I was an avid reader. I loved reading fantasy and sci-fi the most, but also loved historical fiction and suspense genres.

I began writing because I became frustrated with the books I was reading. Sometimes, I didn't like the path the author chose to take the story down, or how they developed a character, or if they killed or let a character live in a manner I didn't agree with. Opinionated, I know.

So, I embarked on the writer's path, wanting to create stories that I would love. I wanted the power to shape the stories in a way that I wanted.

To start, I found some college ruled notebook paper and a pencil and started writing a story to the first chapter of a fantasy novel. Man was it terrible! I wrote probably ten pages, front and back, and filled it with paragraph after paragraph of the history of this world I was creating. I was so proud of it. I gave it to my best friend to read (who is also a writer now) and I waited in anticipation as he read it. When he finished (what a  dutiful friend he was), he handed it back and said that he liked it. I could see the conflict on his face. He hated lying.

I was deflated, but didn't give up. Even though those ten or so pages were not interesting to read, they were the building blocks for a story I have enjoyed writing for years (and one I feel like I'll never finish). I have since started many projects, but have not yet finished them. I have books with hundreds of pages completed, and some with only one or two chapters. But one day I'll finish them! And I'll get some of them published, I hope ...