Metamorphosis

According to Webster- a : change of physical form, structure, or substance especially by supernatural means

OK, so some people call it a mid-life crisis, but I think the definition above is more fitting (except for the supernatural part). And it is what brought me around to being a writer. You see, I toyed with creative writing in high school long (really long) ago, but the military, marriage, kids, jobs, and just life in general conspired to push the writer to the back for decades.

Then last year, frustration with my current career track had me second guessing my life choices and thinking about making a career change. But with the economy the way it is, leaving a good stable job for the unknown is akin to financial suicide, so I was stuck. A few months of frustration and semi-depression set in and things looked grim.

But then one day I saw some blog from an independent author that had started writing later in life, and a light went off. I could brush off some of those old writing habits, and see if something came out of it. I read a LOT of science fiction and fantasy books, on the order of three or four a month, so I went with the "write what you love" mantra and dug in. Now almost a year later, I have a 90K word novel going into it's final edits, and due for publishing in July, and another YA fantasy novel about 1/3 of the way through rough draft stage. I spend a few hours almost every day writing, and here is the best part; my satisfaction with my current job has gone back to the way it used to be.

You see, the job didn't change, I did. I took the focus off of the daily grind and put it onto other things, writing being foremost among them. But I also added exercise, a new passion for Scotches, Bourbons, and other whiskies, and pipe-smoking. Many friends and family members joked about me becoming the archetypical writer during a mid-life crisis, but it was just a series of coincidences that led to this combination of hobbies and passions. But what is important is that it is what worked for me at this point in my life.

So if you are stuck in your job, your marriage, your health, anything, take my word for it, and start your own metamorphosis. You have the ability to emerge a better person if you put your mind to it.