A Writer Who (Sometimes) Hates To Write by Clay Dolan

A Writer Who (Sometimes) Hates to Write

The problem with writing is that some people want to know more about the writer whose words they are reading. Surely, as a writer, they think, you must lead an exciting life. If I wasn’t at times required to write about myself, I’d gladly let you retain that belief. The truth? Let’s just say that my life insurance carrier has no reason to raise my premiums. Go to work. Come home. Go for a walk. Eat dinner. Do a little housecleaning. Relax a little while. Go to bed. Repeat. I almost added, just like most other people. But most other people probably have a little more excitement mixed into their daily routines.

So don’t expect to learn much about me here—there just isn’t much to tell. That’s why I hate writing about myself.

So let’s move past that to this: How did a boring guy like me come to write stories about giant, hairy, wild, brutish cannibals? You can read more about it at my own blog, but for now, the answer is this: I get my vicarious thrills through the adventures of Xavier, Thomas, Walter, and the people and monsters they encounter. The stories provide an outlet I didn’t previously realize I needed. The truth is, something inside most guys craves action and adventure. But our modern lifestyle provides few avenues to fulfill those cravings. So what are guys left with? Fantasies.

A guy can spend a bunch of money buying and playing fantasy games, or he can make some money dreaming up and writing fantasy adventures in order to sell them to other adventure-craving guys. I’d rather earn money than spend it, but I’d earn nothing if I had to write about my boring life, so instead I write about Xavier’s and Thomas’s adventures. And there you have it.