It’s been a while since I’ve written anything. To be honest, I’ve contemplated writing this. My reason for choosing to write out a story that maybe a few people would read. My reason for even pursuing this path that is tremendously difficult. But I felt the itch to lay it out, if I want to make this a full-time thing. I’ll try not to drag it out so long. But without further ado, let’s get things started!

Childhood

When I was young, like many others, I’ve never had any interest in reading. I thought it was boring and not worth the time. I was an imaginative kid. Someone who would only stick to the adventures that I’d conjure in my head. Sometimes I’d pretend to be ninja. Other times, I’d pretend I have superpowers that would shake the earth. Cringey, I know, thinking about it now as an adult. But some kids could be like that and in its own world, that’s beautiful. I’ve felt creative and developed on an emotional level. Critical thinking skills came into the picture. While I was having the time of my life, at the same time, I felt free to do what I wanted, and to be where I wanted to be in my imagination.

There are many benefits to the imagination during childhood that I’d eventually realize as an adult. Something that would affect the way I interpret it.

The Maps

Moving on, this idea sprung in my head around 2018. Considering the fact that I’ve had a vivid imagination, I thought to myself that maybe I should create a world myself. Many other people have done the same thing. So, why couldn’t I? That’s when I began drawing maps.

It started off as random continents and regions placed in various different spots. Mountains, rivers, settlements, everything. I wasn’t the best at drawing, but to be fair, I don’t think anyone starts out that way. At first, they were just plots of land crunched together like Pangea. Eventually, I separated them, making the lands look sleeker. But no matter what I drew, I felt that it wasn’t right. Some of the lands looked too big compared to others. The naming wasn’t that great. Spirita? Heivia? Those were only a couple of the original names I had for the world. For some time, I started hating on my ideas and even considered quitting at one point. It’s as they say… you are your worst critic.

I’ve drawn at least 70 separate times. Until finally, I’ve landed on the map that felt right. And once I came up with the name, it stuck.

The Story

After I’d say four years spent drawing, I’ve thought long and hard about wanting to write my own stories. There was a list of ideas I had when I thought about what I wanted to write about. Back then, it was for when I originally wanted to pursue game design. There was a story about wolves, reptilian people riding bikes, a dream warrior. Maybe my inner child thought of these stories. Many of those ideas, I scrapped. Of course, the big one that stayed with me the longest was this idea for a fantasy adventure. So, when it came to plot, hence why I decided to pursue Before Ember? There were several inspirations that came to mind.

Originally, I wanted the story to be centered around three characters. But thinking about it made me realize that it’d be too parallel to other bigger stories like Harry Potter and Percy Jackson. So, I decided to narrow it down to just two characters. That’s when I drew inspiration. The bond between two people, in my mind, can become very impactful for each other, in ways that you couldn’t even begin to imagine or thought possible.

After that, I thought about embers. One night, around winter, we huddled in front of the fireplace and whenever we’d put out the flames, I’d always see the glowing embers.

There has always been a fire in people. The depiction of it has been shown in various mediums. Art, video, anything. While people have thought about the burning flames, there is the other downside. It’s that flames do tend to die out. There are going to many trials and tribulations that may bring people down. Sometimes it can be overwhelming, and many people have unfortunately given in to those thoughts. But at the bottom, there are still flicks of embers residing. As long as those still remain, you’d be able to reignite that fire that will fuel you to keep the pace going even when things grow tough. You’d be able to overcome those challenges and drive that passion to greater heights.

That’s what I wanted to bring to Before Ember (originally titled Before the Ember Dies). Characters that are faced with many great struggles but manage to conquer them. Of course, in their own individual paths. Much like any works of fiction, I’d want these characters and the plot to be something that people can connect with on an emotional level. But the series is also something I’d want people to have a fun time with.

If I’ve reached at least a few people, then that’s what I call a success.

Thank you very much if you’ve read the whole thing all the way! You rock!