I can distinctly remember a time not so very long ago, when I had myself utterly convinced that I was absolutely incapable of writing short, one-shot stories. I guess, in a way, I was incapable at the time, but not for lack of ability.

In retrospect, I think it was more a combination of facts. One of those was that I was just so laser-focused on writing my novel/serial. In the past, writing has been my therapy. I wrote for the exclusive purpose of writing what I needed to write, what I needed to get out of my system.

I shared it here because I love this community and I cherish its members, and I wanted to give back a little something for all the encouragement and support that I've received. To put it simply, without Erin (and too many more to list here - you all know who you are, and you know I care about you all very much :-)), I probably wouldn't be alive right now.

As I've slowly come to terms with who I am though, I've found that I'm able to focus more steadily on things that don't pertain to Robin, my personal demon exorcist. It started with A Trick ... or a Treat? which really opened a floodgate. Once I had proven to myself that I could expand beyond Becoming Robin I started kicking around story ideas.

I won't say I'm a proficient author, not in the slightest! I'm still very much trying to find my voice (literally and figuratively :-P), but I feel as though I've started to grow as a writer. My last piece, Grandpa's Cabin, was an attempt to branch out into the less Sweet/Sentimental. I left a lot of things unsaid, and the ultimate ending quite vague to help foster that uncertainty.

I do want to apologize though. In the past I've adamantly defended serial/novel writing to the exclusion of Solo/Short Story writing under the protest that I found it easier to write in the serial/novel vein than the short story vein, but I feel I did so in a way that put off others in the process. No one has ever explicitly said anything, but they don't have to have.

I know the defensive tone in which I wrote the words at the time, and now, as the tunnel vision clears and I find myself more able to expand my horizons, I feel kind of guilty and even a little hypocritical in retrospect :-)

So to anyone I've ever offended, even in the slightest, in my prattling on about being unable to contain my thoughts to short, small stories, I sincerely apologize.

To anyone who ever has, or ever does, find themselves in this situation, where you feel you just HAVE to write an expanded piece, write it! Write it until you can't write anymore. You might be surprised what tumbles out. I certainly have been :-D

Love,
~Zoe