This is always an awkward situation, never knowing how to start a conversation that may very well be just to yourself that others may end up reading.  To start, I guess, I hate first person narratives.  You can tell a good writer from a bad writer based on how they use this perspective.  A good writer using first person will give some insight into the mind of the lead character, such as suspicions, theories and point of view, which is used to drive the plot.  A bad writer will focus more on the characters thoughts and feeling, going to into so much detail that it comes off as whining, pandering and self-indulgent.  Most first person narrative I've read fall into the latter category, especially the Twilight series by Stephanie Meyers.  Bella is a brooding, angsty teen...cool.  This doesn't make for a very interesting character or story, in my opinion.

My fear with this blog is that it will come off as a bad narrative.  I'm already annoyed by it as being self-indulgent as it is, but it will happen, as this story, Thicker Than Water, is a very personal story that involves some very personal issues.  For those who have read the comment sections of the first 16 chapters will know, this is a story that is very loosely based on real people and actual events that have happened.  This blog is intended to explore this deeper and expand on the comments made, while answering questions about my writing of the story, from inspirations, to the writing process itself, to what little editing I actually do.

I think a blog written in third person is a horrible idea, so I'm stuck writing in first person.  This leaves me with how to write it.  I could be super formal or very laid back.  I like narratives that are more conversational.  I want to be talked to and not talked at, and I assume everyone else does, too.  The reason why Shakespeare is still around hundreds of years later is because he used the language of the people and not the aristocracy.  Yes, all of Shakespeare's plays are written in the common language of the time, including slang, since his works were for the common viewer and not those in the courts of Queen Elizabeth I or King James.  I'm not Shakespeare by any stretch of the imagination.  My point being that I want to keep things grounded and not be high brow with my narrative, which can be very tempting.

So, why should I start a blog when I've been using the comments section already?  Well, I've been using the comments section to just respond to comments, which helps with growing the audience, gaining those writing points so I don't need approval to post sooner, and to help tease things to come.  I have expanded on the topics listed in the chapters from the comments made, but I've also kept things close to the chest.  I personally don't care about hearing spoilers, but I also don't want to spoil something I'm writing for others; plus, if I reveal too much, I might lose interest in the project itself.  Most writers have a superstition when it comes to letting people read something that isn't finished, which will result in inspiration or the idea just disappearing, and I'm very susceptible to that.  This format of releasing a chapter at a time is relatively new to me, and so far, it's working well.

How often will I be blogging?  Maybe once a week, give or take?  I want to have something to say when I do this, but I also don't want to set deadlines.  I have enough of those as it is, and I want this to be something I want to do but not have to do.  I will be going through each chapter, combing the comments section and writing a blog going over ideas I had when writing the story and expanding on some of the questions, so long as it doesn't lead to spoilers.  I will welcome topic ideas and answer questions on what has been written so far, but I most likely won't answer anything that is to come.

With that said, I think this is a good place to stop.  I hate writing endings as much as I hate writing openings.  I feel like some kind of tagline or inspirational catch phrase is required, but my brain battles that sort of thing, again, as being self-indulgent.  If you've gotten this far, thank you.  I will try to improve as each blog post is made.

See you in the next one,

John.