The Dilemma of the Writer's Heroes

As I continue to work on what will be my first publishable novel, I learn much from the experience.  Each time I go back and do yet another edit (I am neurotic about these things), I see the things that I think I did wrong and try to correct them.  My other writing, that of the more salable nature, though it may not be particularly poignant most of the time, has forced me to continually examine what I am doing and figure out better ways to do it.

Which leads me to the point of this post...

Every writer has influences as the grow up, people that are responsible for our desire to write.  While it's not always the case, generally these are other authors.  My personal greatest influences, those people that put the spark of desire in me, are writers like Neil Gaiman, William Gibson and Alan Moore.  The list is much larger, of course, but these are the three that I will always return to, reading their books over and over.

But what happens when you go back to read one of your favorites and see what they've written and how they've written it and your mind says to you "That could be improved"?   Is it arrogance talking, from me, a writer that hasn't even finished their first book?  Or is it that I've found my voice and must say goodbye to these "parents" as my chief sources of inspiration?  Is there a point where a writer becomes their own person or do they forever build on the backs of giants?  And is that point, if it exists, possible to reach before they've even been published?

I almost feel guilty, looking at my heroes and seeing what I perceive to be flaws...

This whole crazy blogging thing the kids are doing these days...

Well, it looks like it's time to blog.  Part of doing the whole marketing thing and considering I'd like people to actually buy my book when it's done, I'd better get to it.  What should I say?  Honestly, I have no idea.  I imagine that something will come to be eventually, right?
I guess the best thing would be to start with some sort of introduction and state my intention in forming this blog.
I am a writer.  My name is Jason.  Well, now that that's out of the way...
I am currently working on a book of the fantasy genre.  Being as how it's almost done, I'm taking those first baby steps toward marketing the thing.  It will be my first published book, so I'm still fuzzy on how to go about all this.  I'm not going the traditional publishing route, preferring instead to use the eBook format, so I have no cronies to do the marketing work for me.  Urgh... the job of a writer gets more and more complicated.  I supposed the extra work is well-worth the freedom, however.  I'm okay with more freedom.

As the blog continues, I will be posting on how progress is going and when/where to expect the book when it's done.  If you're a fan of fantasy that is a little darker and a little more introspective, it might be your thing. I'll probably end up posting a chunk of the beginning at some point, just so people know what to expect.

Okay, that's about as much steam as I can muster right now.  Hopefully someone reads this?  How do these new-fangle computers work anyways!?  Damn kids, get off my lawn!

- JM