If you told me I’d have a published novel of my characters at age 16 two years ago, I wouldn’t believe you. I started the concept of ‘Immortal Lover’ when I was fourteen years of age, and the first draft was just a mush of characters and tiny moments I barely planned out from the second it was formed, so I let it marinate for a few months, and the second draft was just as bad as the first. Even now, if I could rewrite the entire damn thing, I would. On top of work, school, and trying to enjoy myself, it was hard to put writing into my schedule. Despite all that, I put myself through a journey so fun and inspirational that even my characters would be happy for me. (Maybe not all of them, though.) So, from the harsh journey, here are some of the most memorable moments in my personal life, as well as in the actual story. Here’s one of my takeaways from writing my first fictional story. (Light spoilers!)
The Gift and Curse of Immortality.
Many fictional works deal with the concept of immortality, and I wanted to give it my own twist. Masquerade, the flashiest name for a main character ever, was born with immortality. At first glance, immortality may seem like a gift from the gods; you get to live forever! As described through Masquerade’s vicious and impulsive behaviors, he gets to experience many risky encounters that many don’t. He gets to do the fun stuff without worrying about, you know, dying. And he enjoys this nature of the ability until things go downhill- as do most stories. At this turning point, he realizes there’s a flaw to his gift- he actually can’t die. That’s a shocking thought, as you’d hope that’s what immortality would do for you, but for Masquerade, dying in his world was somewhat helpful to his journey, and he couldn’t achieve that by himself. The main struggle for Masquerade’s character is that he believes he can do absolutely everything himself. So when the curse of immortality strikes him, he realizes when his way of thinking has failed him. The only way to lift his curse is to change his way of thinking. Great! That’s character development, a crucial element needed in stories, as the reader needs to grow with the characters they follow.
The Purpose.
Now, you realize the main point I’ve been trying to convey. My purpose in writing is to grow with my writing and my characters, to grow with the world I write in, and to grow with the people who helped me get where I am today. Whenever my fingers touch a keyboard, I always think, ‘How can I make this work better than my last.’ And so I hope the people reading feel the same way; be better than you were the last time, a thought an immortal person would probably have.
New Beginnings
I searched for what a blog post was to even try to think where I should begin. Anyway, I will attempt to keep this blog updated as I continue to write a sequel to ‘Immortal Lover.’ I have a big idea for this one, an idea I’m sure will awe many readers, so stay tuned! Thanks for joining the start of my journey, and be sure to grow with what you do. Peace out, Author Carlos Martinez.