Dear World

Please Kill Me,

Greetings my red-eyed ravishers of the keyboard. How are you? Should the pages have finally flowed in proper sequence, then good luck on the impending anxiety attack, that looms between your last work and your inevitably better one. (#ToughTruth #Writer’sDelight).

Assuming that your not too badly shaken by ominous statements, (you’ve passed the test and we can be besties! #PinkySwear). Never the less, I’m glad to have you in attendance for another ride on the CAROUSEL OF DOOM! (#WrongBlog? #DizzyUnicorns).

Any wazzle,

Readers, (otherwise known as – the other side of an abusive literary relationship #ButTheyLoveMe #CrudeCopulation).

So, I’ve been doing some re-reading of a few projects that I have in the works. No, I’m not in the drafting phase, more the- polishing the finished product- phase, which roughly translates to-

“OH MY GOD! WHAT HAVE I DONE!?! NO ONE WILL READ THIS!”

*deletes complex ending*

*adds transforming robots*

*deletes robots.*

*adds tears*

Yea, so this is the part where I, (and I’m assuming a few others #DoubtersAnonymous), tend to fall a little short in the -GET IT DONE!!!- department.

However, after taking a few deep breaths of some powerful marijuana oxygen – I was able to finish completing the work without incident. (If we’re not counting me licking the wall for an hour or two.)

Once done, I was obviously elated. The hard part was over, the document was submitted, (I could finally take a shower), and all sorts of wonderful things – etc, etc, rose, roses, (#BUYMORE”OXYGEN”!!! #CaliforniaRocks).

But, despite my elation, I pondered the point and meaning of my mini-episode. It all, (of course) came down to you, (and or people like you)- the Readers.

As creatives, we tend to have a process when it comes to accepting how our work will be received, digested, (cuddled with on dark nights), and all around remembered. Though there is an undoubted recouping phase (#ExistentialHedonism)- we do inevitably come back to worrying about what you will think.

It was about this time, that a fact dawned on me,

I don’t know you–

*watches as several followers storm out heartbroken*

But seriously, I don’t want to, won’t, and physically can’t, know every single person who will read and interpret my work. Therefore, I will rarely have the opportunity to converse about it much – beyond whatever winds up seeping into my little authorial bubble. And though it may not seem like it, that’s a good thing.

Some of the most dangerous strategies for a creative to take are paths of forced connection, assumed opinion, (back alleyways), or any other road that may presuppose what the reader may be thinking, feeling, or experiencing at the time. Attempts at this rarely work, unless you’re literally mainlining into the zeitgeist, (and even then it’s flawed).

*Treat every work like it’s the first. Deliver it as truthfully as you can. Then, do it again.*

Our job becomes effortless at a point. That point is usually around the time you type THE END, (or #Fin – I guess. Depending on how fancy you are).

*Trust in your audience to find you. People have a way of stumbling upon the things they need the most. Our job is simply to make sure something’s there when they go searching.*

So do with those keys to the city, as you will. (Or don’t – it’s Thursday- I can’t be babysitting you).

I’ll be back at some point -before Armageddon- with more spewage, from the faucet of insanity.

Crush Your Thursday,

-Antwan Crump.