In the beginning (post-fetus, pre-adult), some people thought I was funny, and other people thought I was horrible.
This seemed like enough to charge up a writers' dream, so off I went!
At age eighteen I was somehow entrusted with a fake advice column for our high school newspaper. My name was "Dr. Teen Angst" and I was blunt. But humorous. But a little bit mean.
A bunch of people loved it.
A bunch of other people thought it was dumb.
Through the next several years I wrote some parody stuff for websites, started and never finished a few books, then began to write a blog about finding true love when you basically…suck at finding love.
This humorous blog was called "Year of the Chick" (http://romimoondi.wordpress.com/). I turned it into a rom-com novel, found a literary agent, and received some good publisher feedback…but it didn't sell.
Then came Amazon.
But hold the phone: I didn't self-publish "Year of the Chick".
This published "thing" (it seems most appropriate to call this book "thing" or "mutated baby") was written out of personal protest, to the bestselling "The Book of Awesome". I won't repeat my handy Amazon book description, but let's just say I don't like people telling me how to be happy. So when they do…I tell them what is horrible. In a ridiculous kind of way.
And that's the book.
The last three months of being published have been a glorious ride and learning experience. I've learned what it means for people to love what I write and also hate it, just like in the "Dr Teen Angst" high school days. I've learned it's always best to create a "thing" that's made of YOU (even if the result is a "mutated baby" book), since the alternative of pleasing everyone is as bland as a bowl of porridge (sorry porridge, it just isn't happening for you). And let's be honest, even if you took the safe route, you would fail at pleasing them all.
I've also been thrilled to discover that so far, over 250 strangers have purchased a book that isn't exactly a mainstream cup of tea. Thanks for embracing my weirdness, dear readers. It truly means the world.
I will publish "Year of the Chick" before the end of the year, because I love reaching readers without the highly subjective gatekeepers robbing you of this miracle (all hail self-publishing…but let's make sure we edit before we publish! :-) ).
So now you know, that despite my office job where I’m responsible for millions of dollars that aren't my own, I will keep on writing and keep on publishing…simply because I'm a dreamer like that.
Which brings me to the dreamer component.
As much as my current blog and "The Book of Awful" indicate a "mutated baby" style of writing that will often alarm and offend, I also like to write from the heart. To make you laugh and make you cry. To take my very own personal heartbreak, and turn it into tragic but hopeful but funny tales of love.
Just like I did three months ago, when I randomly wrote a screenplay.
This screenplay is currently making the competition/contest rounds. My updates on that quest as well as strange daily thoughts can be observed via Twitter. So far I've advanced in one screenplay contest, and hope to continue the trend. Mostly because this movie just HAS to get made, and Ryan Gosling just NEEDS to play the main lead.
Dream big or play "Sims" all day; the choice is yours!
Romi Moondi
Thank you for joining us today. Don’t forget, Stuart Land is dishing it up on Friday.
Until Then,
Ciao
JET
No comments:
Post a Comment