As a child I collected rocks. Not just any rock, special rocks that had stories to tell. Everywhere my family went, I made sure to find the most unique rock before leaving. When one caught my attention I held it in my palm measuring its worthiness. If the rock passed the test, it came home.
I created every world those rocks came from. I wrote about the creatures roaming their home world, the habitats painting their landscapes. I wrote about the star formations hovering above their atmosphere, and the culture of the species living among them.
Hours full of paper, ink, and a cramping hand evolved into what I now know to be characterizations, world development, and plot. The elements of my craft. I no longer have my rock collection, but I am still drawn to collecting worlds.
