A Goal Aspired.

I don't want to write the next great American novel.

True, I do have some amazing dreams for writing, including exploring several genres and languages that I don't even know yet. However, I am learning that creating novels like those that still reside in my head takes time. It is a slow and sometimes tedious process. But let me tell you, it is worth it! My current project has been more than three years in the making. I don't include a lot from that project here, as I'd like to wait until I have a finished product. My goal is to create a graphic novel, with three points of view: a sour rebel, a bouncy stabilizer, and a dreamy go-getter. All of these characters have strengths and weaknesses. All of these characters are from different backgrounds. All of these characters are different races. All of these characters are teens. And all of these characters are forced to interact closely with each other.

I can't reveal in detail what happens in this story, but my goal is to finish the artwork in the next six months and to attempt to publish it by the end of 2022. My great dream right now is to help students who wouldn't necessarily pick up a book full of words who will grab a graphic novel full of pictures. Not only will I include historical facts, music, and artistry, but I will also fill this book with themes of rivalry, racism, bullying, teamwork, and mysteries. Through my art and various points of view, I hope to show teens that there is more than one way to express themselves and that it takes true courage to stand up for what is right, especially when everyone seems to miss their potential.

When I first started writing the rough draft, I had the general idea of what I wanted to cover. Then as I began studying the idea of TRANSFORMING my words into a graphic novel I started developing a script. Once the script was written and the general story was told, I realized that readers would want to explore more background of the characters and I set out to add a layer of mystery. Then as I delved more into what teens are interested in, I added another story layer with school-related themes. Each of these separate plots could stand on their own, but they are created to interweave with each other, building the story as the graphic novel develops.

The idea of publishing, especially when I have never created a graphic novel before, seems intimidating. At times I think to myself that I might never be able to finish it. But I am determined to take it one day at a time and just keep moving forward. Every little bit gets me closer to my goal. I have reverted back to using pencil in a sketchbook, when for the past couple years have used only digital art in Procreate. One of the classes that I started taking encouraged me to first develop the storyboard using pencil and to transfer it later into digital art for the details, so I am trying a new technique.

From the first page, the reader can figure out that something is special about one of the characters. This story quickly builds as the chapters emerge to help create a new world teens might not be familiar with. Then when a new character is introduced, the reader finds that not everything is as it seems. One of the teens in the story learns more about how to stand up for herself, giving readers a RELATABLE character and situation as her true colors emerge. Then the character that has stayed incognito throughout the first half is revealed to be the catalyst of the entire mystery, dancing their way into the spotlight despite everything in life pressuring them to do differently.

When I wrote the first couple versions of the story, I tried to create a cohesive plot that had several twists and turns, keeping the reader guessing and throwing the teens into the mindset that, especially in high school, not everything is what it seems. I personally experienced this when putting my book together. There are sometimes situations that test us, such as a boring chapter or a difficult test. But there is always a way to overcome it. Sometimes it takes stepping through the mess to end up in a place that allows me to see things clearly. I hope that the teens who read my work will experience this too. Each of them comes from...

• A different background,
• A different place, and
• A different culture

However, they learn that the only way they can overcome their diverse ways of thinking is to use their strengths and learn from their weaknesses.

As I am drawing the last bits of sketches before I start inking my pictures, I am learning that there is always something new to take in. I am never going to be perfect in my attempts, but it is fun to keep TRYING. I have taken more drawing lessons and read textbooks, comic books, and art books. When I open myself up to improve, I open myself up to failure, too. But surprisingly, that failure also gives me more strength that ultimately leads to success. When teenagers read my graphic novel challenges and study my art, I hope that one or two of these lessons penetrates into their being that they become a more well-rounded, accepting, and proudly diverse people.