Entry No. 1 — So The List Begins

So it began — the list. Twenty dreams I had spent more time idealizing than executing, except there wasn’t an excuse anymore. I wrote down the most doable goals near the top, and the hardest towards the end of it.

1.) Blog

The blog was (and remains) my easiest pursuit. I like to think of myself as a yapper, and sometimes I turn out writing funny things, too. We had an exercise called Boards back in highschool which was an annual exam in which us Creative Writers had to take three pieces and drastically revise them over the course of three weeks, and accompany this with an essay explaining what was changed during the near-month we were given. In my Boards, I’d talk my head off, so this is a little bit like that. I find myself and way of thinking interesting, and seeing as I learned how to bypass the struggling artist stereotype and comfortably make passive income from doing what I love, you might want to stick around for a few more posts than you start with.

2.) Chapbook

Everything is a matter of perspective. This is your golden rule. (I mean, that and don’t hurt anybody. Don’t hurt anybody’s pretty golden, too.) Remember before starting ANY sort of audacious project that it isn’t a matter or how, it’s a matter of when. The “when” for me was July 19, 2024, exactly 90 days before my 18th birthday. Why 90 days, you ask? It takes about 90 days for the proceeds of your book to get to you — and July 19 was the release date of my chapbook A Thousand Moons Gone. Seriously — it’s real. Look it up.

The chapbook was high on my list for many reasons. First, I had about nine trillion Docs I wanted to get rid of (or revise), and time was ticking. I had ‘til June 28 to clear out my school email, and, like I’ve said. I’m a writer. I thought it’d be a fun way to make money before freshman year, so I did it. Yep. Published a 50+ page poetry book like that, and in the next post you’ll get to see how I did it.

3.) Children’s Book

Though you’d think a children’s book would be ranked number-one-most-easy, I put it third because I want to design and digitally draw the art, as well as the story, myself. I see a lack of cute POC representation in children’s books, and I also don’t see a lot of technology infiltration children’s books. Maybe something having girls fighting aliens, and boys learning to cook? Gender roles are instituted very early and to be frank, it pisses me off. I could do a set of five books and have them for sale in bulk and I think they’d do quite well. I’ll unpack the details with you after revealing the revenue from A Thousand Moons Gone.

4.) Webcomic Pilot Episode

I’ve always wanted to write a series for WEBTOON, but I’ll be honest about my abilities. Maintaining 80+ panels per episode and somehow sketching, lining, coloring & shading all of these reliably each week? I’d do terribly at it alone. While I fancy myself a sketch artist and remain mediocre at line art, it wouldn’t be possible without a team who I could pay biweekly. I’m still trying to decide if I ought to take a gap year and produce a webcomic in this time, but for now my personal project is just to create a pilot episode of a potential comic. I can come back to a full-fledged one after I retire.

5.) Podcast

A friend decided that the speed at which I speak demands a podcast, and I think it’d be fun! I love doing research on authors, poets, and just…speaking, to be honest. Working on a podcast would provide a lot of editing experience, which is perfect because at the moment I have absolutely none. And, surprise, this leads into the next product.

6.) Produce Song/Write Album

Aforementioned previously, I need (some) editing experience for this next goal, and I’m torn between producing a song (a few of which I have already written), or writing an entire album and only releasing an EP. I’ve written a few songs and producing them would probably be the greatest challenge for me, though I’d love to guide you through music theory and song structure because, at the end of the day, it’s another tool in my belt (and yours, too)!

7.) Novel

You’re going to believe me when I say this, but I currently have about five working ideas for a novel. The kicker? I want to start with just one. More on that later.

8.) Online Storefront/Small Business

It can’t be too difficult! And even if it is, everything’s just a matter of when. I bet each reader $20 I can have a successful clothing store up before 2026. This is on top of the other projects, yes. If I can do it (which I will), so can you.

9.) Full Length Play/Movie/Opening Season of TV Show

…There are two slashes, I know. The reason for this is that I’m going to undergrad for Playwriting, but my personal preference for storytelling at the moment is TV. My preference might change by the time I open this can of worms, hence the flexibility.

10.) Libretto

A piece of “libretto” is just a fancy term for a musical. I looooooooooooooove musicals. Do I know anything about professional songwriting, scoring music, or the individual components of the combination between playwriting and producing?

…I think you know the answer to that.

But we go. And by we, I do mean we. We’re in this together, sucker!

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You’ll notice I continually bring up the term “twenty under 40”, or “twenty before 40”, but I’ve only listed ten items for you. Well, that’s the part of the fun, isn’t it? You didn’t seriously think I was going to show you the entire list.