My name is Mathom. I'm 20< my age< 30.
In life I am Daniel. I'm a senior physics undergrad at Brigham Young University.
Mathom is what creative writing has been to me---a long-forgotten gift that I never got rid of, but that I never had any real use for. I loved creative writing in elementary school and would write about all sorts of different things, mostly fantasy of some sort. I never could finish anything because the beginning was always the most interesting part. Then in freshman year of high school, my English teacher had us do creative writing for a few weeks after which he said that that was the last creative writing we would do during our school years. I don't think he meant it to be prophetic, but for me it has been, mostly. Except for a sort blurb just after high school, I haven't written anything since those early weeks in the 9th grade.
So why am I writing on this forum? That short blurb just after high school was a transition in my life and I found outlet by writing stories (mostly in my head) to mimic my situation. I grew up and got over teenage angst and went off to college. Then I found Writing Excuses through Schlock Mercenary and the weekly encouragement and discussion niggled at me to write the story that was still in my head from those years before. Today I sat down and used four hours I didn't have to begin the first chapter. But I'd like help to make this novel the story I really want to tell.
My story was originally conceived as an episodic cartoon and I am in my writing trying to describe the scenes I see in my head. For once, inspiration came to me with an entire story: beginning, conflict, twist, middle, development, climax, end. I don't see everything, but I see all the bits that have to be there. It has many influences from fantasy and animation. The main idea that was its genesis was, "What would happen if magic and technology grew together in this world? If we had the same industrial revolution and technology boom, but that magic was also a part of that world?" The second idea was, "What would people do if they could waive their hand a have anything they want (almost)? What if magic made work as we know it unnecessary?" Crystal Palaces is the result---a dirty, hedonistic city which floats above a broken, poisoned world.
At the moment I only have one story to tell, but there may be others. I am most interested in fantasy. I love the writings of J.R.R. Tolkein, Terry Pratchett, Douglas Adams, Patricia Wrede, and Alexander Lloyd. I'm a fan of graphic novels (BONE by Jeff Smith being one of my favorites) and I love the simplistic artwork of Japanese comics and animation.
I love physics and mathematics and I may not have a whole lot of time for writing with the start of graduate school, but I need to get this story out of my head. I hope that I can entertain you, though I am afraid you may see deeper into the dark recesses of my soul than I intend. I may disturb you and that is ok too so long as I can leave you with some sense of hope for the world.
Anyway, that may have been more than was sufficient for an introduction. Oh well. I look forward to giving and getting criticism.
