Writing Like A Martial Artist

Music is slowly coming back into my writing process. That’s such a strange thing for me to say because so many stories have been written to specific soundtracks. As you might imagine Ennio Morricone and spaghetti western soundtracks were a regular with Jonah Hex. A lot of eclectic funk and 70s songs for Daughters of the Dragon. Theres musical easter eggs in tons of things when I fist started working in comics, you can see it expressly in 21Down, some nods in Hawkman and elsewhere. But for a few years I slipped into a period of silence. No music or noise of any kind. There was also a time when I couldn’t be productive unless I was completely alone in the house. My daughter’s birth presented a huge challenge, where I went from writing 8 hours a day to 4 at best. Not everyone has the same writing process or a process at all.

I have a psychological routine. Sit down at roughly the same time every day and write something. Some people absolutely do not do this, to them it has to be the muse the idea comes and they run to write it. I’ve done that for sure, but more often I find that those inspirational moments off the cuff rarely get past the notes or “scene concept” stage. Sitting down every day feels like a job for a lot of people. For me it trains my brain to think - this is what we do now, I can let my imagination run. Two things here. One I took from Hemingway and one from Martial Arts. During an interview in 1958 with George Plimpton, and a year before Supergirl was created (wink), Ernest said: “The best way is always to stop when you are going good and when you know what will happen next. If you do that every day when you are writing a novel, you will never be stuck.”

That’s a rule for me. It creates anticipation and excitement to get back to the same place the next day and see what happens next. Jack London said, “You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.”

The martial arts reference ties directly into this philosophy. My sensei used to reinforce the importance of the on and off switch—the ability to go from a calm state to a controlled state of action without hesitation. Not anger. Not excitement. Just focus. The switch flips and you’re there.

Writing became much the same thing. Sit down. Same time. Same chair. Same ritual. Eventually the brain starts recognizing the cue.

While I understood the principle of it, I was never particularly interested in kata when I first started training. I have a greater appreciation for it now. The purpose isn’t the routine itself. It’s building muscle memory so that when the switch flips, the body doesn’t have to think. Action follows intention automatically.

In a fight, there isn’t time to debate every movement. The training is there so the body can execute cleanly and efficiently. Writing isn’t combat, but the principle is similar. The routine trains my mind to recognize the moment. The switch flips and the imagination gets to work. Music helps place me back into the same emotional state as well. So, if you wonder how does he write specifically in different genres one ingredient is sound. These bands are all in a loosely similar vibe but I will say Black Sky Giant out of Argentina really bounces around sonically there are some riffs on The Red Chariot that sound like the Cure without the goth melancholy. Where their Planet Terror album is more psychedelic stoner rock by way of Lovecraft.

It’s been a strong campaign, and I’m grateful to everyone who has backed, shared, or simply stopped by to take a look.

To help celebrate the final stretch, I’m teaming up with 247 Comics for an exclusive full-color print featuring Voltessa alongside one of 247’s fan-favorite characters. It’s a fun crossover piece and something a little different from the usual campaign extras.

With one week left on the clock, there’s still time to jump aboard for this exclusive print that will be full-color in a few days. Check out the line art by Crees.

Loren is a brilliant chef... and even more brilliant assassin.

Knives have many uses. Noodle shop owner Loren is a member of a secret organization known as the Bladesmyths - master chefs who moonlight as highly skilled assassins. BLADESMYTH Volume 1 is an action thriller delicacy from writers Justin Calen-Chenn and Lingie Park, artist Creees Lee, and colorist Wil Quintana. Creees Lee has drawn for Marvel’s Tiger Division and Invincible Iron Man and recently did a couple of covers for Absolute Batman, and Justin Calen-Chenn wrote for Netflix’s The Brothers Sun and Bel-Air.

Physical backers of both campaigns will receive a printed copy of the exclusive print.

Digital backers of both campaigns will receive a high-resolution digital version. This information will also be available on the campaign page as an update.

• Your Voltessa backer number
• Your Bladesmyth backer number

• We’ll verify both pledges and make sure you receive the exclusive crossover artwork.

Available only to backers of both campaigns.

And if you’re looking for Blue Geisha, I Eat Monsters, Voltessa, or any of the other comics and books I’ve been working on, you can find them all at the BleedingPulp.com store. Right now most of the comics are available digitally, but trades and collections are part of the long-term plan.