One of the unknown facts about my path to becoming a working artist is that it all began with fiction. I’ve always been a reader and a storyteller, and I had always taken writing seriously in the way one does when one wants to write well, but I never entertained the notion that writing could become a central pursuit in my life, or even a profession. That changed while I was living in Los Angeles, after I began reading a book by a popular, best-selling author who will remain nameless. I became so furious by the poor quality of the writing and so incredibly annoyed by the fact that this particular author could make a living publishing drivel, that I decided I would begin writing seriously myself, to create the type of story and produce the quality of work I wanted to see out there in the world. In the pursuit of this goal, in the many workshops, and during many hours of dedicated, directed effort, I began to understand the discipline required to work as a professional in the creative fields. That learned discipline is what made my career as a multidisciplinary artist possible. Without it, I surely would have given up, or tried some other easier avenue. It was a transformational moment in my life as a creative professional.
And while the body of my work over the past few years has mostly been visual art, I still include writing in my practice, and I still (occasionally, when I have the time), submit work to literary journals for publication. You can read my most recent published story at Flash Fiction Magazine online.
Read ‘The Wolfing Club’ by Nick Thornburg here.
Stay Creative.