Oh yeah and what was with Saul and his insecurity? Glad he got over it, but what caused it to start with?

Oh well. The book was awesome!

I know skill is developed by training, attention to detail, and mindless repetition until certain actions become as natural as breathing. In my profession, there are few (if any) “naturals”. Operating a nuclear reactor requires years of training and qualification, and there has never been, in my experience, a situation where I could just “wing it”.

Writing is much the same way. Some people have the ability to sit down, and pour their imagination out in a vivid and enrapturing way; while adhering to the rules and conventions of language/writing.

Other people (such as myself) can concoct amazing worlds in our heads; but agonize over how to string the words together into a form that another human being would recognize, much less understand.

Either way, you use the talent you have, and refine it with the skills you acquire, mostly through trial and error. Win some, lose some, but learn whatever you can, regardless of outcome.

On a completely un-related note; I’m rather surprised that none of your work has been optioned for a television series. Vampires, demons, magic, random gun-and-sword action sequences…I would think it’d be a race between HBO and FOX to see who could offer you the biggest check first.

A word of warning should you decide to go with FOX. While Joss Wheadon has established roots in fantasy (Buffy, Firefly, ect.), I caution you about letting FOX hand him the project. His work is excellent, but (sadly) doesn’t seem to lend itself to longevity.