And so, it begins...

It started with the closing of a web site. A friend was shutting down the site she had been maintaining, and had asked my help in writing a farewell note to the users. It went over well: very well. Suddenly, I'm getting people encouraging me to write more.

I've always loved words. As often as not I'll read something, not for the content, but for the way it was written. Beautiful writing captivates me, though sadly it's becoming a lost art, with email and blogging (guilty!) filling the world with whatever passes for language today. Maybe well written material isn't necessarily more scarce than in the past, but it does get lost in the noise.

My love of words has always inspired me to try and be more creative in anything I write, which until recently has mostly been technical design documents and a journal. Granted, they were design documents filled with more humor and imagery than might be typical, but sometimes you just need to let the demon loose. I had never truly considered writing anything for publication.

Until those encouraging words got me to thinking: Judging by what you can find in any bookstore, a lot of other people are writing. Some of it is very good, and much of it...isn't to my liking. Why not toss my hat into the ring as well? What have I to lose.

This, then, is the chronicle of an engineer who wants to be a writer. Check that. This is the chronicle of an engineer who wants to write professionally. I am already a writer. I write constantly, and cannot not write. Now we find out of anyone wants to read what I write. It should be an interesting journey.