My name is Dylan Lees. Professionally, I’m a landscape photographer who supplements his income with a little photojournalism. But in my heart, what I’ve always wanted to be is a fantasy author…

Here’s how it all got started.

In December 2012 – somewhere around the 20th of the month – I opened up a Microsoft Word file and typed the first words into the document that would go on to hold the basic ideas, structure, and eventually script for the first serious writing project I would begin.

The document was creatively enough titled ‘December 2012 Story Concept’, and the words were ‘Premise: The basic idea is to try my hand at proper creative writing (fantasy, probably mid to high) and try out writing styles and practice characterization.‘

That story concept would eventually become THE SHADOW OF THE RUIN, the first (and, to date, only) full manuscript I have finished. Along the way, my outlook on ‘serious’ creative writing has changed – from a pure experiment at first, to a distant but fuzzy desire, to finally where I am now: knocking on the necessary doors to eventually turn fantasy writing into my career for the future.

Along the way, I’ve had my share of ups and downs – trials and tribulations, moments of inspiration and moments of pure writer’s block – as I made my way through the process of becoming a self-taught author. I haven’t yet reached the position where I can share my secrets of success, but what I do have to share is my own personal solutions to the problems I’ve come across and found a way past, and my thoughts on the ones I’m still figuring out.

Thanks for joining me on my creative journey, even if it was just for the few minutes it took to read this! In the end, having someone read what I’ve written and care about it is all I – or any writer – could hope for. The ‘About’ section may not be the most stirring piece of writing I’ve composed, but hopefully it’s done its own little bit to crack open the blinds on my mind.

After all, that’s what blogging is all about – right?