About

My name is Joshua (J.C.L.) Faltot and I’m a writer based in Cleveland, OH.

I am a husband and a father; two unofficial job titles which don’t pay any money yet reward me with life’s greatest joys. For all you parents and family men out there, I hope you can relate.

Life continues to teach me that we are forever learning and in need of constant refining. A fool thinks he knows it all, but the wise will continue to seek more wisdom and understanding. This ‘motto,’ if you will, is something I’ve adhered to over the years; the goal being to apply it as much as possible.

Here you’ll find a healthy chunk of thoughts, remarks, and comments made on culture, society, faith, and everything else in between. Much of my work – past and present – can be found here too. So feel free to poke around. And if you feel led to, poke or comment on what you like or don’t like. Honestly, I support honest feedback! This website is as much a work in progress as I am as a writer.

Sharing at an Alpha event

Along this journey, I’ve been blessed with multiple opportunities to speak with youths about my writing. In doing so, I speak on the topic of pursuing dreams – a somewhat cliche’ thing in the West, but a prevailing part of our culture nonetheless. How do we navigate that pursuit? Should we even pursue it? And do we know the difference between what’s a passion and what’s merely a hobby

Discussing these “passion projects” with students has proven to be invaluable to me as a creative. Not only do I get to encourage young people, but it also gives me a chance to reconnect with that kid who had big dreams – and little to no thoughts of failure in sight.

When I first started out, I thought I was supposed to write satire. My voice – and natural bent – seemed fit for that kind of work. But, after realizing I didn’t want to be “another angry voice”, I turned from that and started to work on fantasy and science fiction. This has proven to be a major juncture in my writing life (and my growth as an individual).

Locally, I co-captain a writer’s group (appropriately) called the Pens of Steel. Formed out of a desire for critique and accountability, we are a group comprised of aspiring writers, artists, and entrepreneurs. And no, we don’t just sit and debate the problems of the world (well, sometimes we do). But, yes, we do try our best to attend writing conferences, stay up to date on publication happenings, and read one other’s work. The landscape of publishing has changed drastically in the past decade. Having a community to stay on top of these changes is important; as is having a space to trade ideas with.

If you are an aspiring writer or are thinking of becoming one – it’s imperative to find a creative community near you.

I trust you’ll find some intriguing and interesting things here. Namely, my latest work: The Writer’s Lens podcast, where I discuss publishing, passion, the spirit of entrepreneurship, and what makes us want to create – all through the eyes of a writer.

– J.C.L.