Return to Okishdu

Although I write well enough to have tested out of the requirement to take English or writing courses at several universities including GMU and U of U, I make a number of mistakes as I write. Several years ago I took a writing workshop from Dave Farland/Wolverton in which I learned more than I have in similar workshops with Orson Scott Card and other mentors over the years. DF emphasized creating useful outlines and avoiding the passive voice by eliminating 'was' wherever possible. I tried to apply his teaching to a series of books set in the mythical land of Okishdu which I created years ago and continued to work on. Many of my friends and a number of my children and older grandchildren have enjoyed the series. Now one of my younger grandchildren is eagerly reading the books as I print them out. He is nine years old and has an elevated vocabulary for his age, but I realized that some of the scenes were a little sophisticated for a child. I decided to re-visit Okishdu and re-edit my stories. It has been a challenge and a joy. I am about midway through the series and it has taken a lot of time. I submitted the series to a couple of publishers several years ago, but now I feel it is just as well that I didn't succeed. Will Okishdu ever see print beyond what I accomplish with my Canon printer and a Fellowes binding system? I am putting the revised stories on the web at http://okishdu.com as I complete them. In a sense I can claim to be e-published, but so can any blogger. Frankly as an artist and a writer I have never produced any creation that is more fun to revisit than the land of Okishdu.