Chapter 2
The Written Path
My writing journey began with a sense of community, born from the lingering effects of the pandemic in early 2023, when isolation made me realize how words could bridge distances, heal silences, and bring people together even when the world felt apart.
Stage 1
The Creative Spark
It all started with a text-based game on Discord, a small project I ran in English for a few friends. It was a good, small-scale opportunity to prove my skill and have a bit of fun. I'll admit to being quite an amateur back then, struggling with the grammar of a language that wasn't my first. But within that inexperience, a core creativity astonished even me. I envisioned a fantasy world of stagnation and freezing, where magic wasn't used for flashy spells but rather for necessary survival. I was driven to build a "lived-in" realm, where each being had their own story, jobs, and struggles. I wanted to craft a world that felt real, a mystical adventure. Most importantly, I wanted to evoke empathy. I wanted to create characters I could relate to, even if they weren't similar to me. That was how I hoped to understand people better and acknowledge their struggles in a more empathetic way.
Stage 2
Sharpening the Tools
As the idea of a book set in that same universe began to sprout, I knew creativity alone wasn't enough. I needed skills. That opportunity arrived in the summer of 2025, when I joined a writing competition as an editor. Reading and guiding other authors was an invaluable experience. I admired their unimpeded creativity and their tenacity. Helping them correct their mistakes and refine their ideas was tedious work, but it was worth it. This process taught me about the standards a public product requires. It was also where I sharpened my own tools, preparing myself for a larger journey.
Stage 3
The Path Forward
Now, I am on the path to turning that small game into a book. I understand that book writing is nothing like hobbyist writing. It demands rigorous standards in both writing quality and story flow, standards that take time, energy, and sometimes even collaboration to uphold. The struggles with grammar and sentence structure are still there, blurring as the page and word count stack up. It really, truly is difficult, but I endure it in the belief that all these efforts will finally produce something memorable. I want my product to be in the hands of many, to see if it can spread my ideas and influence someone to be better.
