šProcrastaholics
Addicted to Delay
Episodes of Storymaze feature: writing tips or a work-in-progress; something creative Iām digging; + a quote thatās got me thinking.
Adapted from the Street Writers podcast I did with pal Mark Bellusciā¦
Dan: How's your brain doing, Mark?
Mark: Mark's brain is still functioning to some level, but I want to make an admission right here and now.
Dan: Oh, we are in a confessional booth.
Mark: Yeah, exactly. I am Mark and I am a procrastinator.
Dan: Hi, Mark.
Mark: And I have been procrastinating since I had hair. And I think what I wanted to get across in this tip really is that it's fu. to talk about writing, and to do these kind of āhere's the trick to getā¦ā when you get into this point.
Dan: Sounds really easy.
Mark: Yeah, exactly. I use this technique and we're going to keep doing that or else we're going to be doing a podcast and I want to thank all of six of you out there listening because you allow us to do this. But let me tell you something, I'm having fun doing this because every time I see one of these tips I say,
āOh shit, I could use that Maybe that'll help.ā But what Iām also learning is you think to yourself, āYou know here I am given all these lofty pointers Why the hell am I struggling every time I write?ā
And I think it's it is like an AA kind of thing where you have to be easier on yourself because every day I go with this thing and I'm like, this should be easier than it is. And I wrestle with it and I wonder about it. And it is amazing what your mind will do to avoid having to write this crap.
Dan: And just like AA, there's bad cookies and bad coffee and, or so I hear.
Mark: Exactly.
Dan: But I think that's a big thing, when you admit that procrastination is there, that it is hard to do this, right?
That alone makes it okay. Not to lose yourself. But that you don't feel like you're alone. I know you're not, you will struggle. This is a struggling craft, struggling with the ability to exercise this talent, but that's okay to admit that.
Mark: I guess it is. And you're right. It is. I just find it funny because if I go back to, 30 years when I was a young man or 20 years or even then you think you're going to get to a point where it's okay, this is going to be Stephen King belting out on a computer. And maybe, and I'm sure Stephen King goes through this, but when we started doing this program and you think I got all these tips, I know how to do this.
And then you're sitting in front of the computer or your notepad. And you're like, āShit, I think I could write this, but I don't feel like it, or I thought I could write this and I can't. And it just seems it never ends.ā
Dan: And for every motivational tape you buy or creative how to book ā and I've got a shelf full of them, I'm sure you do too. And they're good, and they give you ideas, but at the end of the day you move the goalposts somewhat, but then something else gets there and it is a constant thing. And it's fine to admit that so long as you make it a mission to continue to work toward it
Mark: And thatāsā¦yeah, I think it's like ā it's a miserable process.
And the only thing that will make me feel more miserable is if I don't do it and think that it beat me once more. And it's funny because like I say, in my case, I envy someone who says, āI locked myself in that room for eight hours and I wasn't going to come out until I had 30 pages written,ā and stuff.
I can't do that. I'm thrilled if I can do my little 25 minute Pomodoro. Thatās like ca elebration. And maybe that's the best thing about writing for me, is every day when that alarm comes off, I'm waiting for balloons to come through the ceiling like ā congratulations!
Dan: You may want to go right to Party City.
(This show ran before Party City went bankrupt! š)
Hellhound is future horror from the fierce talent behind Train to Busan, a savage rip on society, conspiracy religion, and the meaning of sin. (You know, light entertainment.) A supernatural face roams the world, declaring the exact time individuals are set to āGo to hell!ā At the appointed time, a trio of monsters appears and VIOLENTLY makes good on that damning judgement.
New faiths jump on the tragedies to mandate the rest of mankind needs to clean up its act ā or join the sinners in the fires below. Naturally (or supernaturally, in this case) all is not what it seems, and those complications, reveals and ferocious action make this a (wait for itā¦) sinfully good time.
Axles Infernal #2 sees the proper intro of all four arms of Necros Terminal ā the devilish dispatcher from the Underworld Transportation Authority, and bane of Percy Crossā existence. Hereās a taste of their special meet cute.
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*PAGE 3
*Panel 1
Closer angle on Sammy pulled in among a combo of other UTA trucks (decaled and tricked out like Sammy, unusual and even disturbing, but not aggressively horrific), and some ordinary vehicles belonging to road weary or just "on the fringe" civilians.
As the truck comes to a stop, Percy is quick to swing out.
PERCY: Thanks, Virgil. For the save, the ride, whatev. But hi and bye. Iāve had enough.
VIRGIL: Suit yourself.
Panel 2
CLOSE UP ON NECROSā FINGERS, long cracked fingernails tapping on his steampunk(ish) clipboard.
SFX: KLAK-KLKT
*Panel 3
NECROS comes around from the front of Sammy, an imposing, wild, weird, unsettling figure. Percy staggers back at this reality warping intro.
PERCY: Fuckā¦
NECROS: How sweet of you to offer.
*Panel 4
Necros turns to Sammy. The demon inclines his head slightly, almost reverential as he runs one hand along the machine's smooth fender.
NECROS: Hello, Samael.
*Panel 5
Percy looking for something to use as weapon, hands outstretched, grasping.
*Panel 6
Virgil tosses her his crowbar.
VIRGIL: Try this.
āYou must stay drunk on writing so reality cannot destroy you.ā
-Ray Bradbury
As I line up 2025 comic con appearances, Iāll promote āem here ā and hope for a chance to meet some of you fine folks face to face. Be table ready: first person to show up at the show with a copy of any Daredevil: Black Armor issue or trade ā the autograph is free. Show up in a Black Armor cosplay: get a full set of the original Fall From Grace comics!
Amazing Times
Iām D.G. Chichester. Seems pretentious to me, so if youād rather just call me āDanā, and have a go at the last name as Chai (like the tea) Chester (like it looks).
I earned my word-cred writing comic book titles like Daredevil, Terror Inc., Nick Fury Agent of SHIELD and Clive Barkerās Hellraiser. I like weird tales, so if things here bend that way ā now you know why!
Folks seem to like the comic book adventures Iāve written, so if you havenāt checked one out ā please do. Many are now available in fab collected editions ā including the recent rad retro
For the moments between newslettersā¦