I figured I would start off this post with a re-post of a video I found on Neil Gaimin’s blog, because as usual, he is not only able to put words to a simple truth that so many writers feel, but he also puts that truth into action.
Please watch that video here:

Neil is a favorite writer of mine because his stories are so delightful, and regardless of what age or genre or audience he is writing for, he has a way of drawing his readers into his tales in a way that makes you forget about everything else, caring only for the adventures and characters that are brought to life by his words.
And unlike some writers, Gaiman is such a delight to meet in person. I had the opportunity to do so when I attended WorldCon in Montreal in 2009. You can read about just how thrilled this made me here and here. A few months after that trip I found out that Neil would be coming to Santa Barbara the following year, and since he had given me his email at the conference, I reached out to see if he would be willing to let me interview him for a feature I’d write for the Santa Barbara Daily Sound newspaper. Much to my shock and delight, he agreed. I’m posting the links here if you’d like to read the article I wrote, as well as the transcript from my interview. It really was a dream come true to interview and write about one of my heros.
But back to the video. I would say that the loneliness of writing is something that plagues most writers. For me personally, I am a very social creature who will often choose the company of others over staying in with my computer or journal to write by myself. But what Neil is proposing here, is that writing doesn’t always have to be lonely; the act of writing is something that brings people together. We all love stories: storytelling is ingrained in our core; it’s how we interact and connect with others. So watch the video. The writing/art project Neil talks about here is exciting, because the act of creating this work will bring many, many people together in a unique and meaningful way. And what could be more exciting than that?!