So I wanted to write this on reddycreations anniversary, on Apr 11th but you know, I had exams then and only had time to make a quick announcement. So I am here expressing my feelings and letting you know me better.

I was your ordinary guy, I still am but before Apr 9th of 2015, I was the guy who never really did anything for himself. Being born in an educated Indian family, I was raised to be serious about education and I was.

I was always a good student, in school and finally I managed to get into a medical school. Life was good and I was already a book geek who used to consume large amount of material everyday to satisfy my appetite. Then on a fateful day of Dec 2014, I found coiling dragon [CD] on spcnet.

For those of you who don't know, CD was first hosted on spcnet. I was so excited and interested in this different kind of literature that I devoured every single Xianxia translated at that point. CD, Stellar transformations, Zhu Xian were among some I devoured. I even tried wuxia but it just didn't manage to attract me as much as Xianxia.

So fast forward 5 months, I got a weird impulse to write my own work, in a way which I want a work to be. So I just started writing. I selected the name Riddick because I thought it was a cool name. As fate had it, I had holidays then so I was on roll and churned our chapters every day.

Someone like me writing was already absurd but people flocked in and I was getting these comments like It's Ok, good, awesome, its shit. There were all sort of people who praised me, encouraged me, discouraged me and simply hated me for the mess of grammar I had then.

I was surely hurt when people said, you shouldn't even write because you have shitty grammar and absolutely no originality, but I wasn't ready to give up. For a year, I improved my grammar to the point that no one can call it shitty anymore.

I am not a native English speaker nor do I speak often english in my everyday life so improving was tough. However, I persisted. I read grammar books, carefully observed the grammar in CN novels I was following everyday. I can't say I am done learning but I certainly improved a lot in the past year.

*******

Now, I was getting all this attention. People were reading my novel everyday and I was satisfied using my holidays writing for their enjoyment but then duty called as my college started. Since I had work to do with the start of college, I couldn't write freely anymore so I started sponsored chapters.

I was like, oh gosh! You are dreaming who would donate for you? I should just remove the donate button before I make a fool out of myself. Well, guess how surprised I was when I did get donations. I was like omg. People love my work so much that they were willing to donate.

Then exams followed, I was inactive for over two months. I was sure that everybody would forget me and they did, my traffic dropped by over 2/3rds but I was still happy that some have remained, patiently waiting for me. I wouldn't have stayed if an author went AWOL for two months. So I don't blame anyone.

I was back again, writing anywhere from 12- 25 chapters every month. Spending 40-100 hours every month writing. I usually get only 5 hours free time every day i.e 150 hours/month. I have to do my homework and study in this time slot and I was spending an average of 75 hours per month on writing.

How was this made possible?

My family gives a lot of importance to education so I couldn't take time out of it. So I started discarding all activities I can, Sports, Chatting on social media, Movies, games, sleep. It got to a point where I stopped hanging out with my friends and instead wrote for you.

As a result, I gained 20 pounds in the last year. My mom still ridicules me that I got fatter but good thing is, I am still normal in BMI index, thank god. Since I stopped using social media, some of my distant friends became even more distant. The me who used to spend time chatting with friends began to instead stay silent as I was thinking almost everywhere, eating, bathing, shitting, in class, everywhere.

But I persisted. I made a promise to you guys and it was dragging my life down. How ever, a promise is a promise and I was raised not to break one so easily. Thus, I didn't let myself be overwhelmed or burned by writing.

In a single year, I wrote as many as 240 chapters. That's after I took a two month leave with no posts. So 240 chapters in 305 days while studying medicine. At one point, I felt as if I was always doing something at any point of the day and my mind was always tired. Thus were the reasons for occasional short absence.

*****

Do you feel annoyed by my requests at the end of every chapter?

Trust me, I never was a person who owed anyone a single cent and I am still stay true to my principle, I won't beg. I will rather starve than beg someone. I don't feel comfortable asking even my own father.

I am still only 19 and am still studying, but thank god, my father is one of the best things that happened to me as he can sense what I am thinking simply by looking at me so I never really had a reason to ask as he himself asks me.

So why do I ask you guys?

As time passed, people around me, my family, friends began to question me. Am I not wasting my time too much with this writing? You are a med student, study more, that's your life.

Yes, I knew that and I couldn't argue against it because they were right. Unless I succeed, all this writing is useless to me but I still wanted to write. That's when I experienced the feeling which haunts every adult.

Thirst for success

Writing suddenly became very serious. I needed to succeed to let my point through them.

I would have a better chance to convince my parents and well wishers if I was earning some 500$/month. Look, people are giving me 500$. They like my work. I am just starting out and it will increase every month. Now, do you understand, I wasn't simply wasting my time.

If possible, I would have preferred to not beg you guys at all but what can I do? I started writing for fun but now, the ghost of success is chasing me and unless I manage to get at least some success. I will eventually be consumed by the views of society and fade away into shadows.

******

So what are my future plans?

I will turn 20 this July, will complete my medicine by 2019. Then I will do my PG if I do get one of my choice or do some intensive studying for one more year and try again.

So by 2022, I will be done with my basic education. Doctors do many courses but they are like side courses, I can do a job after 2022. Despite what many may say, I still want to write till 2022 and later but I know, It will only get tougher from now on. Here's how -

First year was - Free.

Second year - Hospital postings - Tight schedule but I can manage

Third year - Surgeries and more - Same but I will manage.

Final year - 14 subjects in 9 months - surgeries - patients - really really tough, I don't know yet.

House surgeon - Full time job - over 100 hours per week - May be I can

PG - Full time job + course (for 3 years ) - Maybe.

************

You are my second family and I don't lie to my family. I laid the facts before you and will wait for your judgement. So if you feel annoyed by my requests in every single chapter or if I go AWOL for a few days, remember this message.

I am but an ordinary guy just like you and sometimes I get tired, but I never was lazy and I never will be.

Hope you understand where I am coming from.

If you can, support me in any way possible. Spread the word, upvote on Reditt, rate on royalroadl, vote on TopWebfiction or on Wattpad, or donate or pledge a dollar.

Yours sincerely,

GSD Reddy.