Writing is one of the most solitary activities in the world. Every time I start a text, gazing out on the unknown sea of my soul, I see a few islands - ideas that have developed and which are ripe to be explored. Then I climb into my boat - called The Word - and set out for the nearest island.

On the way, I meet strong currents, winds and storms, but I keep rowing, exhausted, knowing that I have drifted away from my chosen course and that the island I was trying to reach is no longer on my horizon.

I can't turn back, though, I have to continue somehow or else I'll be lost in the middle of the ocean. Shaken by these alarming thoughts, I find a strength and a courage I didn't know I had: they help me to venture into an unknown part of my soul. I let myself be swept along by the current, and finally anchor my boat at the island I was being carried towards.

I spend days and nights taking notes, describing what I see, wondering why I'm doing this, telling myself that it's really not worth the pain and the effort, that I don't need to prove anything to anyone, that I've got what I wanted and far more than I ever dreamed of having. Writing creates images in the reader's mind. So, when someone tells you "I can make an illustration of your work", normally I politely decline.

Till one day... that I met Ken Crane in Twitter. Ken proposed to illustrate some posts in my blog and after having a look at his illustrations, I told to myself: "That's the person!"

From this moment on, we started to collaborate together, pro bono, only for the sake of sharing our ideas with other people. Also, from this moment on, people started not only commenting the text, but also the illustrations. I hope that, by the end of 2011, we will have enough material to publish an illustrated book.

I am proud to have Ken by my side, and I am one of his most fervent admirers. http://paulocoelhoblog.com/e-cards/