Trevor Presley, 38, writes around the edges of his life.
"I've written the odd story for newspapers, magazines, travel postcards, humour. I wrote a play, Clumsy With Knives, that was produced in the Fringe, but writing's a tough gig," said the Comox Valley-born and raised Presley, who studied political science at the University of B.C. and works for the provincial Information and Privacy Commissioner's office.
"I've taken stabs at it throughout my life and took a year off to write. The biggest struggle was having the discipline. It's so easy to have coffee, breakfast, putter about. You've gotta put in eight hours, and it's hard being creative for eight hours."
Presley is a triathlete and will marry soon, but writes whenever he can. "I look for contests, opportunities to bang off 500 or 1,000 words. It's a challenge keeping the dream alive."
Inspired by the creative process, he says average writing is easy: "Good writing is the enemy of great writing."
"Great writing, now that's hard. If you're satisfied with the first draft, you're not trying hard enough. Being your own editor requires soul-searching, getting rid of treasures and parts you have fallen in love with."
