Before I Was A Writer

I wrote my first book at the age of fifteen. I was a sophomore in high school, sitting in my art class when the idea came to me. Three months later I had an unreadable and completely unworkable draft of a book in my hands. However unreadable, it was a completed manuscript, and it stood as a testament to the career I would one day choose, the work that would become the focus of my college education and the sum of my daily life for years after graduation.

I’ve talked a few times about my life as an aspiring writer and all of the things I have learned along the way. What I have not spoken much about is the time before I was fifteen and all of the little breadcrumbs along the pathway that led me to choose writing.

Before I was a writer, I was a cartoon fanatic. It was Disney films and cartoon shows day in and day out. Some of my favorite Disney films were Aladdin, The Lion King, The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and so on. My favorite cartoon was Dragonball Z. One thing they all had in common was their focus on a hero’s journey. A young (usually male) character with whom I could identify would go on a journey, and I would watch and then spend hours replaying that journey in my mind. Whether running around the house with action figures or doing circuits on the front lawn, I prolonged the stories for as long as I could.

Before I was a writer, I was also a video game nut. I had a stack of Nintendo Gamecube video games that reached the ceiling and later on piles of Playstation and Xbox video games that took me on thrilling, challenging adventures right from the living room. Possibly my best collection was my bag of handheld video games that kept me entertained on the go. Some favorite titles (from any system) off the top of my head are Sonic Adventure, Mario Kart, Starfox, Dragonball Z: The Legacy of Goku, Super Smash Brothers, Soul Calibur, and of course, Kingdom Hearts, which was the game that made me sit down in eight grade and start drawing my very own characters.

Before I was a writer, I was not the most adventurous person. I wasn’t into biking, flying, amusement parks, hiking, or traversing long distances—all things I do now. Back then, I kept as close to home as possible. My best friend’s house was just around the corner, and I went there as often as possible. Whether it was games, movies, or playing with toys in the backyard, we never did seem to sit still for long. I also enjoyed parties, especially when they were Halloween themed and included long hayrides.  

But what does all of this have in common, I wonder? It seems that before I was a writer, I was well on my way to becoming one. I flunked sports. I never built my body up. Didn’t learn skills like bike riding until well into middle or high school. These are certainly things an artist can do, but at the time, I just didn’t have the patience. I remember my mother trying to put me through guitar lessons. That was another flop. I just could not resist the urge to get lost in my thoughts, and I had my methods for doing so. I was happiest when I was having a digital adventure, or acting out some scenario with close friends and convincing props. I was happiest in my private space, letting my mind wander on its own terms. 

I find it fascinating to look back on young Alec and his never ending circuits around the front lawn or the living room, his four or five revisions of a cartoon episode he had literally just finished watching, and the way he would rewrite certain scenes in his mind. I find it fascinating to think about him going to the movie theater, the lights turning out, being completely immersed within the enormous movie screen, picturing himself inside of the movie and running home to act it out with his toys.

I realize, writing this, that I haven’t actually changed much. I have different mediums now. While working, I take any quiet moment to jot notes into a notebook I keep in my pocket. When I get home, I rush to the computer to write or edit a chapter. When I’m feeling overwhelmed, I do a number of things to calm myself, get into a private space, and let my mind wander as far as it wants. 

Before I was a writer, I was obsessed with imagining things. As a writer, I put imagination to the page.