Writing, writing, writing.

Of all the writing I do, why is blogging and journaling the hardest? Don’t have an answer; I promised myself to do more of this but end up only doing it two or three times a year.
But what I can say is that I’m really happy with my writing at the present.
Last November I participated in a novel writing contest called NANOWRIMO or National Novel Writing Month. Along with thousands of other writers, I had to produce a 50,000 word novel in the one month time.
There had been an idea bubbling in the back of my head for sometime, a science fiction story that I though would be perfect. So I wrote and wrote and wrote for those thirty days, and was able to not only complete 50,000 words, but also type The End to the entire story.
I put the novel aside until January when I gave it a read through and the first rewrite to clean things up, but what I discovered was that this story was far larger then I had anticipated. In truth, maybe I knew it would be too massive because I had first conceived the original idea as a TV series. I’m not going to give up on this story, but am going to sit on it for while and see if there is something more focused that can come out of the greater whole to tell.
That said, I am still a successful writer.
About half way through my Nanowrimo project an idea came out of nowhere. An idea completely different from the grand experiment I was in the midst of. I jotted down a “working title” for this new idea, and one line of the concept and put it aside. This new idea sat in the back of my head as I dealt with the first one.
With December and the Nanowrimo novel finish and sitting a virtual drawer, I pulled out the new idea and began to write a second novel completely from scratch.
I immediately began to love the characters that were growing in this novel; they weren’t restrained by the “high concept” of the first novel, and began to do what they wanted. It was fun to watch them and a great ride to experience their lives with them.
However as I approached the 50,000 words on this novel I realize there was no ending as I currently had it. These characters just wanted to go on past the original story.
So I knew what had to happen next. I put it away for a while.
In January and February of this year I did a rewrite on my earlier novel and gave it to a friend to read. The story was still too expansive so I worked on it some more, but knew I was going to have to rip the whole thing apart. Find what the heart of the story really was and fix some major continuity problems. So my science fiction story has once more gone back into the drawer. It’s not dead yet, but needs to sit for a while.
Pulling the second novel out once more I dove right in and pulled apart the ending that wasn’t working and began to ask my characters what they really wanted to tell me. And they told me. I found a whole new part of the story for a new character, and discovered secrets about several other characters I didn’t know anything about. The novel began to finish a whole lost smoother.
After letting my friend read this novel, and dreading similar notes as the first, I went back in for more rewrites and from the start to the finish and back again I fine-tuned it.
At the start of this month (June), and 80,000 words, I declare the novel finished! Because if I didn’t I’d never stop, or ever do anything with it.
Then after weeks of research I send the novel off to publisher. To make it all the more exciting; the postal tracking I used let me know the publisher received my manuscript on my own birthday. So I take that as a blessing.
I don’t know what will happen with this novel, or the one sitting in the drawer, or the new one that began to fall from my fingertips today, but I remain faithful and declare myself a successful writer no matter what.
Will let you know when I hear from the publisher and what happens with the rest of my writing. Maybe this blog will be filled with something worthwhile yet.

Best,
Kevin Paul Shaw Broden
Four Names of Professional Creativity

The Waiting

The Waiting.

Well, surprise, surprise, you didn’t have to WAIT long for me to post another blog. But this one is more personal than previous ones.

Anyone who know me, read a few of my blogs, or my brief grumbles on Twitter, will tell you that I have been WAITING for a job for a very long time.

People say I have the “patience of Job.” I would never wish to have to go through what Job did. I’ve told people never to pray for more patience, because God will provide it and provide more reasons to need patience.

So I joke that I’ve been playing the “waiting game,” as I wait to hear back from producers, publishers, and job’s I’ve applied for.

For this past week, I and many other members of my family have had to WAIT on something no on really wants to arrive. Death.

Earlier this year, one of my aunts died after many years of suffering from a terrible illness, she had it nearly as long as I have been alive. She lived a good life through out the pain, but then finally it was over.

Now, this week, we lost another aunt. In comparison to her sister-in-law, she was suffering from cancer for a very short while.

She had already lost her husband a few years ago, and her son was killed in Vietnam, so for her the WAITING on the approach of death was also the reunion with her family members in Heaven with the Lord.

The cancer was quickly taking over and winning, but her Faith made her strong and she was content in her Wait because she knew the rewards that were to follow.

This past Sunday, she closed her eyes and went to sleep. A peaceful sleep that even our visits to her room could not waken.

Now came the hardest of the WAITING, and that was for us; her family and friends.

Over the next several days, she remained in that peaceful sleep. Her breathing continued as the rest of her body failed. Each moment we thought would be her last, and yet her body held on.

Our WAITING finally came to an end this Wednesday evening.

Though the waiting is over, our pain is not gone. Whether it be loss or guilt, we hurt that our family member is not with any longer. Yet we know we are only WAITING for the time when we will join them in eternity.

Selfishly I think of all the things in my life that my aunts, uncles, grandparents, or another good friend that past in the last two years, won’t get to see whether it be my career in animation, or published editions of my comic book writing. Most of all I feel bad that they won’t be there for my wedding.

And there is more WAITING, as my fiancée waits on me. Maybe I’m wrong, but I’m waiting on getting married until I’ve got a regular job to build up on. How she puts up with the waiting, and with me, only the Lord knows.

…they that WAIT upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint. (Isaiah 40:31 KJV)

Nine months have slipped by.

I can’t believe that’s its practically nine months since my last blog. I so intended to write more on a regular basis, but sometimes it doesn’t feel like there is much to write about.

The year started off extremely positively, and it looked like I was going to have a job soon after. But that wasn’t meant to be I guess.

The did remain positive, though I had moments of frustration and disappointment, I was not going to give up on my faith that God has a great plan for me this year.

I did get to speak with, at least in e-mail form, several comic book professionals, as well as television producers. Even got to meet a comic writer/editor that I greatly admire, and if God has things set right there I might be doing some writing for him, but we can never be sure until it happens. I remain faithful.

I also met with a television producer who liked my writing quite a bit, and even sent samples around to people he knows. At the moment nothing is happening there either, but I don’t give up.

This year’s visit to the San Diego Comic Convention was perhaps my best when it comes to meeting with people and networking. I’m rather shy, but this year I was able to push though that and talk with people more.

Since then I’ve gotten to talk with others, and another comic book company is showing interesting in my writing as well.

One thing that I can mention here is that though I don’t have a lot to say at times, and sometimes it sounds like I’m complaining. I have discovered that facebook and mostly Twitter has become an excellent way to network and get to know people. If it wasn’t for Twitter I wouldn’t have gotten to talk with several of the professionals who are talking with me now about work. Thanks Twitter and everyone who follows me there.

So even if I don’t have a lot to say here in a blog, and I haven’t yet been employed whether it be creatively or in an office doing filing, this has still been a very good year. God has blessed me well.

Maybe I’ll blog more, or maybe you’ll find 140 characters on Twitter.

A New Positive Year

That's how I'm looking at it.

Even with a killer headache on the First of the Year (wasn't able to enjoy the party), and a knee that was in extreme pain for a couple of days after that (have no idea what caused it, and it's not connected to the headache), this year has started off really well.

This first real week of the year saw me talking with many new professional contacts across the internet. A meeting with a young producer from back east, and a job interview that included a story board test for a Revisionist position at an animation company.

Looking forward to what God and the next week brings.

To 2008 I thank you.

I sit here with only hours to go before 2008 comes to an end, and want to summarize the last 365 days (and 1 second) of my life. But I don't want to look backwards, because when I do it feels like absolutely nothing happened. This isn't true, but it certainly can feel that way when I couldn't find a job. So I refuse to look back with that mind set.

Instead I would like to take a moment to thank people who have helped me in one way or another, no matter how small. As you all know by now, I've been pursuing a career as a writer in animation and comic books for a very long time, and it certainly hasn't been easy, and one of my greatest problems I have is networking.

So I want to thank all the people who have talked with me over the last months, either in person, on the phone, or across the internet.

To the veteran animation and comic book writers who took the time to give me advice. I thank you.

To the president of a publishing company who though isn't in a position to hire writers, was willing to give advice and point me towards editors who might be able to hire me. I thank you.

To those editors who did response to my e-mails, asking what I had done and was seeking to do. I thank you.

To the editor who not only is willing to consider me to write for him in the future, but also willing to read my series pitch. I thank you.

To the comic book writer and animation story editor who took the time to read my spec scripts. Even though your current series is fully staffed, you were willing to consider me and remember me for future projects. I thank you.

To the studio executives and production staffs that have spent time to talk with me about working with them even though there is no work to be had. I thank you.

To the Human Resource Manager at a TV network who called me for a job I had not applied to, and was very impressed with my resume in ways no one else had ever commented on before. That I was one of only four people in consideration for the position. I thank you. And who was very apologetic when a company wide hiring freeze came down. I still thank you.

To my representative at an employment agency, who was willing to take my angry phone call when they didn't seem to be doing anything, and explained things more clearly to me. I thank you.

To the animation and film producers from other countries who sought me out through the internet. I thank you.

To everyone at the Writers Guild of America and the Animation Writers Caucus who have always been a great support to me, because they've all been the same place I am. I thank you all.

To all my new friends in the comic book and animation industries that I am getting to know through facebook and twitter, I say hello and thank you.

To those of you who have begun to check out my website and web comic. I thank you.

To my family who has supported me through this crazy pursuit. Thank you and and God Bless.

And lastly to Shannon Muir, my writing partner, my love and fiancée, and most importantly my best friend who walks with me hand in hand through this life. I can not thank you enough. We will be married soon!

I may not have gotten a job, or written a comic book or animated episode, or sold a television series, but I have gotten to know a lot of very wonderful people. To you all I thank you, and may 2009 be filled with more opportunities to meet one another and give thanks.


Kevin Paul Shaw Broden
December 31st, 2008

It's Raining outside

It never rains in southern california... Ya right!

Our back yard is flooded, but hasn't gotten in the house yet.

Boy this blogging thing is harder then I thought. :)

There hasn't really been anything worth writing about, but always happy to do so.

The latest page of FLYING GLORY AND THE HOUNDS OF GLORY went up this weekend. I am really surprised at my art sometimes. Some of my work, and certain characters come across absolutely terrible, while other characters hit the mark perfectly and I find emotion and depth coming from their faces more then I expected. Check it out at www.flying-glory.com.

This past week I submitted a series proposal to a comic book company. Can't say anything in fear that it won't happen, but if nothing else, I am building a positive relationship with the editors.

The Christmas holidays are upon us, and I have to think gifts for family and friends. We all know how it's not that easy. We all promise to start making notes early in the year as we learn what he or she is interested in, but by the time the holiday's or their birthday shows up we haven't a clue what that idea was.

Other random thoughts before I sign off. I'm discovering that facebook and twitter are becoming more useful then I first thought they would be. I know I need to network more and this seems to be working out better then going to an industry holiday party.

Enjoy the holidays everyone, hopefully I'll post again before the end of the year.

Neither rain nor... from animation.

From facebook:

Shannon Muir wrote on your wall.

"Hey, you need to update your blog!

(Hey for that matter I need to update mine. ;)  Seem to have reduced my life to Facebook updates.)

We're writers, we should be WRITING,..."

She's absolutely right, I need to be writing more here on my blog, but I find writing a blog, or journal to be harder then writing anything else, would like to hear what your thoughts are on that.

That said, I'll give it a shot.

A few years  ago, during one of those rare moments that it rains in Southern California, I was heading towards a job. As when it does rain here, it was coming down hard, flooding streets and houses were sliding down hills (we're thinking of making it an Olympic sport, House Sliding), and I was caught in the middle of it.

I had been called by my temp agency to head up to one of the studios to sit at someone's desk. I'd prefer being hired on permanently, but I can't turn down even the smallest job if it will get me closer to working in animation. So happy to have even a one day job, I jumped into the car and headed North towards the valley of the studios.

 Heading up the 5 FWY, the rain was getting heavier, but that didn't stop everyone in the cars around me to try and keep as close to the speed limit as possible.   Moving at a "safe" speed I came to a place in the FWY where it drops down under a railroad bridge. 

That's when everything went crazy. The water was building up in the lower area of the road, and I hit it and began to hydroplane. 

I lost control of the car and it flew across the road and spun around and came to a stop in the fast lane facing backwards. Realizing I had come to a stop I was able to take a breath and look over to see my passenger door only inches from the wall that supported to bridge above. Then I looked around to discover that there wasn't one care on the road, when there had been many only moments earlier.

I began to thank God for protecting me, from hitting the wall, and for having cleared the raod so that no one else was caught in the accident.

The road remained clear long enough for me to turn the car around and get moving again, but it wasn't long before others were traveling along side me once more. It was as if they had vanished from the road and now reappeared.

I remember pulling off the road into a parking lot to let my heart slow down, but once settled I started moving again and headed for the job.

A job, like I said, was a temp for only one day; but it was in or related to the animation industry that I kept going even after a near crash.

Though it has been a real struggle for e to find employment, especially in animation, I am so dedicated to it that nothing is going to stop me from working in it.

Now to get a long term job in animation, no car accident will keep me from it. I just need to find it.

Kevin

http://www.duelingmodems.com/~kevinpsb/index.html