Tomorrow, I begin posting a weekly series that I’m calling epic_.
Now, let me frame this for you. Those four letters are what you get if you boil authentic adventure down to its essence–a potent reduction sauce thickened by impossibilities conquered and new horizons crossed. Epic.
I’ve had several experiences in my life that I would describe as truly epic. Topping out on three 14,000 foot summits in one day. Standing ten feet from a moose in Jackson Hole and thinking “this thing could kill me and go back to chewing that grass there without missing a beat.” Watching my wife give birth to our daughter. All of them, and others, rise to the top of my memory because they were extraordinary. Epic.
Webster’s defines it as “extending beyond the usual or ordinary especially in size or scope.” As creatives that defines precisely what we are about–extending ourselves and our work beyond the ordinary, the status quo, and setting new boundaries that we then turn around and bust through because we can.
So here’s what this epic_ thing is all about: I’m embarking on a personal journey, one that will extend beyond my “usual ordinary” and S T R E T C H my boundaries. I’m writing a novel over the next several months. And I’m inviting you to ride shotgun.
Along the way I will be sharing the lessons I’ve learned (and am learning) about the craft from some of the smartest writers and artists I have the great privilege of knowing. I’ll also give you some insights from the vantage point of a literary agent. But, more importantly (for me at least), I will be sharing the novel writing experience with you through a weekly video journal. I can promise you honesty, but it may not be pretty. Chances are that it won’t be.
So, whether you’re a writer looking for the dish on the business of writing or if you’re someone just interested in watching me attempt an epic climb that’s been beckoning to me for years, I’m happy you’re here. Welcome to the ride.
Do something epic.