We’re nearing the end of Operation Elbow Grease here at Watson HQ.
My former office is no more.
The computer has been rigged up in its new home, its wires have been sleeved for the second (and final) time in its life, and I have probably shed a few pounds of cushion in the process.
Next time, I’ll be hiring Master Liam to help.
Child labour is the cheapest form of labour, after all.
And in case that piece of satire caused welts on your skin, well…
God help your friends and family.
Anyway, back to the email:
I’ll admit, there are times during the writing process when I’ll convince myself that this is a “hard” occupation. It’s not. Especially when compared to more physical careers like interior design, construction, carpentry, working in a warehouse, etc. To those Legionnaires, I salute the work you have done and continue to do, irrespective of what flag flies in your garden.
It allows us to have the societies we enjoy, and sadly, take for granted.
But let’s not take that detour.
I have long held onto the belief — in no small part to my precious ego — that even us scribes have an important role to play in society.
Sure, we’re not building hospitals or delivering physical goods, but we are there at the end of a hard day to transport you good folks to another world.
To give you a break.
To let your worldly obligations fall by the wayside and experience a different reality through the lens of characters you like.
The same thing with music.
In fact, I’ll state for the record that music is by far the most impactful, transcending art form to exist.
More so than books, movies, comics, painting, magic, or photography.
Why so?
Because I don’t know any other art that can immediately resonate with a mood or shift the very chemistry of your body within mere seconds of indulging it. It’s truly powerful and something I make a point of listening to every day; be it to revisit old memories, melt stress, or visualise a life I strive towards.
Heck, I’ve even visualised my own passing to certain songs.
Deep, deep stuff indeed.
And it’s this depth that pulls me towards certain artists and genres.
For fiction, that’s fantasy, sci-fi, and the occasional work of horror. They never fail to make me think deeper, explore questions about humanity, morality, and sometimes even my own mortality.
Perhaps I’m just a sucker for wizards, motherships, and the strange shapes that occasionally haunt my hallway.
🤷
Or maybe, just maybe, there’s a genuine connection borne from the stories in these genres.
In any case, I always aim to explore deeper questions in my own novels. However, like music, I’m not always in the mood to explore the dark depths of life. Sometimes I just want to kick back and escape a gruelling day spent sleeving a bunch of pesky wires.
That’s where microfiction saves the day.
They are small bursts of story that centre around one theme, one moment, one emotion that nourishes you like a sweet symphony without the baggage and effort from which accompany a novel.
If you’re having one such day, then allow me to gently nudge you to my collection of fantasy, sci-fi, and horror microstories here:
https://djjwatsonstore.com/products/Tiny-Epics-Vol-1
There are 141 such tales for you to indulge in, and for reasons closely linked to my control issues, you cannot find them on Amazon or any other book retailer, for that matter — only at my Storehouse.
Tiny Epics: Vol. 1 is also available in e-book and audiobook.
Enjoy.
DJJW