"Even in a perfect world where everyone was equal. I’d still own the film rights and be working on the sequel."

Good 8:24 friends.

Today I come to you asking for help. At the urging of the lovely Brook, I have made the decision to finally attempt the writing of the book I have no doubt promised more than one of you more than once. My boggle now is finding the proper approach from which to attack said project.

I'm not really sure one continuous narrative is the way to go. It's not the way I think and it's not the way I generally live my life. Not that this is meant to be an autobiography or a memoir, unless you still buy into the Million Pieces method of memoir writing.

That said, it is my belief most good writers start from a base of what they know. I haven't had any epic adventures and my formative years weren't spent living in the back of a van, doing my best to avoid the various puddles of biological functions that type of life can bring you.

I have however had what I feel to be an interesting collection of experiences, and I've met a motley crew of folks as I've walked this ball of dirt and water. So a collection of recollections, based on actual people and events if not entirely truthful re-tellings would be, as the kids say, do-able.

I do have this other idea. As some of you may know, I am rapidly approaching my 29th birthday. So this other idea I have would be a fictional diary of sorts. The story of a guy who's a little too young to have been part of Generation X and just a little too old to be part of this new "twixter" generation.

So I have this whole conflict of staring "real life" right in the face, but at the same time being nagged by the feeling that maybe I should have grown up already. This make sense to anyone? I'm leaving my 20's so any real justification for putting off life is swiftly going by the wayside. This is a real thing for me. I'm scared to death of 30. Not so much the number. I still feel young, but it seems like I should be thinking of answers for the question "now what?"

Another idea I have would be to define the moments of my life through pop songs, but Nick Hornby has already done that. And let's face it....I ain't no Nick Hornby.

I'm sure the whole fictional diary thing has been done to death also, but it's something I could write with everything fresh in my mind. It would also be a truer reflection of who I am now, rather than attempting to remember experiences as I saw them then rather than I how I reflect on them now. There would still be some backstory, so as to build up characters, but it would feel less forced to me. I could pick and choose rather than trying to remember enough stories I've lived or heard to fill out an entire book.

I guess I like the idea because, all hubris aside, I feel as if I have something to say. I'm not a political theorist, or an economist and I'm more in need in need of a psychologist than qualified to act as one, but I feel I have a take on the world worth explaining. I've never met anyone who looks at things quite like I do. (Did I hear a collective "thank god"?)

So there you go. I want to do this. I mean, I've always wanted to do this, but now I feel as if I need/should/can? do this.

So here's what I need.....feedback. I need help here. You can leave comments here at the blog, or you can e-mail me at jeffthepardoner@priest.com

Any ideas of your own are welcome. If you've any thoughts as to the ideas I've outlined, feel free to share them. I have no delusions of bestseller lists. I have, however, been thinking up book titles for as long as I can remember, so a book to go along with one of them seems like a good idea. Just being able to finish something I feel worth sharing with others would be enough of an accomplishment for me. Should some agent of publisher feel it worthy of mass production...or even some minimal amount of production would just be an added bonus.

So there you have it friends....your faithful author is taking it upon himself to become....an author. Give him any help and you might possibly see a character based upon yourself pictured in a favorable light. If you're unworthy of such light you'll at least get a name drop on the acknowledgement page.

JeffRey