Losing yourself in another's world provides cathartic escape from the trials of real life. The experience is shared across storytelling mediums like television, movies, audio books and visual reading yet the mode of access differs.

I've always found that the medium in which I experience a story influences my association. Movies, being a visual medium, are easier to process since they resemble our everyday experience of the world. Audio books are the next most accessible medium since we listen to stories from the day we're born, although we can't, at first, fully comprehend them. Reading requires, perhaps, the most complex association, combining visual recognition with mental interpretation, imagination, empathy and even contemplation of concepts that go beyond a story's narrative.

This is likely why I feel closest to the stories I experience as a written medium. I am gradually coming to appreciate audio books more but continue to enjoy engaging with visual stories the most. What story medium do you prefer? Why? Are there certain stories you prefer to experience in a medium other than your usual one? Whatever your preference, continue enjoying those stories!

The image below of two deer standing on top of a book is courtesy of wetcanvas

For Book 1 of the Rules trilogy I intend to pursue traditional publishing, partly to compare the process to self-publishing and partly due to the low Canadian dollar and Createspace being a US-based company. Before submitting the manuscript I need to have it professionally edited. Having relied on the assistance of two close friends to edit Call of the Black Panther this will be my first time working with a professional.

I have heard that the relationship between writer and editor is akin to marriage, the two contributing energy and support to the developing story. The Rules trilogy will benefit from an editor perhaps more than my previous works since it is an epic fantasy with a vast world and complex concepts that need to be communicated effectively to readers. It's always important to have others review your work since, as the author, you read in assumptions and errors that make it more challenging for readers to engage.

I am fortunate that I can afford a professional editor's services yet the expense has definitely been the biggest hurtle to overcome. The editor I have chosen is reasonably priced compared to others and possesses many years of experience, including an epic fantasy trilogy. I am optimistic that it will be a positive collaboration and will document anything of note here.

I have considered pursuing editing as a career so also view this interaction as a way to watch an editor at work and determine how I might perform in the role. Since I love language and writing yet still need to make a living, editing might be a career that satisfies both.

When a person's basic needs are met their mind looks to higher aspirations. What those might be depends on the environment, capabilities, expectations and beliefs of the individual. Success and happiness become the pursuits that bring meaning to our lives. Society and the media plant some of the ideals to which a contented populous will strive. The same, similar, or different ideals will originate from family and associates. An individual will develop expectations based on upbringing, exposure and personal beliefs.

Whatever their origins, aspirations are an integral part of modern life. As technology increases their leisure time, humans seek fulfillment in a myriad of ways. Some, such as myself, pursue a fascination with the arts by reading, observing and writing. Others seek influence by increasing material and social power. Some establish a comfortable home and surround themselves with family to nurture. So long as aspirations are grounded in acknowledgment of the natural world's limitations and a positive moral center, no harm should come from pursuing them.

Determining what aspiration to go after is often the most challenging part. Aspirations that will truly provide fulfillment require understanding of the self and the determination to work through whatever obstacles may exist. When searching for personal meaning, individuals can succumb to persuasive rhetoric. This is when someone or a group convinces others that achieving their own goals is of mutual benefit. These types of challenges will become increasingly prevalent as more of the world modernizes and accepts technology.

As a species, humans still have many serious concerns that threaten the stability in which aspirations are possible. Climate change, atomic war, civil unrest and apathy are all threats that humanity must overcome if it is to continue existing, let alone evolving. Focusing on the self has merit yet the self is also inextricably connected to the whole of life. So, alongside those personal aspirations, consider how your goals can positively influence the larger reality. It's not easy, but worth the effort.