Let The Words Flow

Okay, so I fancy myself as a writer. Not a journalist, mind you, but a fiction writer. Yep, I have so many ideas flowing around in my head that it'd be a waste for me to... well, let them go to waste.

I have three "main" ideas that I'd really like to work on:

1. A superhero-themed story, but one that's rather short. Not much of a long-term commitment, and it'd be great to get my feet wet.
2. Another superhero story, but one with the group of 5 more like the Teen Titans in their abilities and such. It has more of a supernatural and later occultic theme to it. More of a commitment than the first story, but shouldn't last too long.
3. My "main" story, which is a sci-fi/action story with a bit of a space theme. Lots of characters, three major story arcs, and a long-time commitment. This is the story that I'm currently working the most on, actually, so if I decide to do this one (which I most likely will), I'll use the first two as practice to get myself accustomed to my own style.

...Actually, while I said "writer", I actually meant that I'd like to portray these stories through graphic novels, preferably in the manga style (yes, that means that I could be headed down the "dreaded" path of OEL manga that many "true" manga fans despise). In my mind, I already picture these stories with an anime art style.

The problem with the graphic novel path is that I can't draw as well as I'd like to. Which is quite a shame, since practicing my drawing was one of my New Year's Resolutions (well, at least I was able to make some decent progress with Resolution #2). Of course, I could always get someone else to do the art for me, while I handle the plot and initial character designs (while they could also polish those designs).

Video games have been a passion for me since I was a little kid, so one field that I think I could put these stories (mainly story #3, though) out there would be through video games. Hell, in my mind, the main concept behind my third story would work GREAT with the DS's touch screen controls and the Wii Remote's pointer. The problem is that, I hear that most game developers are not looking to hire writers unless they're big-name and/or can also program/design the game between working on the plot. ...I currently don't have any experience in game development, though it's one field that I may go into in the future. Perhaps the training that I'm currently undergoing to work in IT could help... Not only that, but even if I were hired solely as a writer, I wouldn't even be able to pitch my own ideas until I have a decent amount of experience (probably after at least 5 years); until then, I'd be having to write and flesh out someone else's ideas and plot. Though I guess it'd be fun to work with someone else and their ideas, and help influence my own stories...

Next could be through a TV show, preferably through anime-style animation. Of course, that would be pretty hard to break into right away, probably harder than the video game industry. Animation costs money, let alone anime-style animation. Starting out, I'm not going to have anywhere near the money needed to get my projects off of the ground. So, I'd have to pitch to other companies, but if they DO accept my pitches, I fear that they'd make so many changes to the story that, in the end, it might as well not be the same series that I conceived. If that happens to my first or second stories, I'd *try* to go with the flow, but if it happens to my third series, I'd be VERY pissed and might even discontinue the project and start over again somewhere else (actually, I'd probably do the same with all three of them).

Hmm... So, it seems that, if I want to best control over my stories right away, the graphic novel path is the best way to go.

...Well, that's at least a few years away. I'm going to focus on my schooling right now, and see where the field of IT takes me. Of course, in the meantime, I'll be practicing, training, plotting, and fleshing out my writing and drawing over the 1-2 years that I'm in school.