Welcome to mid-week, mid-month madness!
Last week I noticed this hashtag going around on twitter: #whyIwrite
At the time, my mind went blank. Why do I write? I don't know, 'cause it's fun? Seemed like too shallow of an answer to put out there in the twitterverse, so I just amused myself by reading everyone else's comments.
But the question stuck with me, and as much as I'd like to come up with one of those deep, insightful answers, the reality is that I write for fun. Sometimes it's not fun, sometimes it's painful, but even then, I still enjoy the challenge.
Yesterday I recaptured the joy of the first draft. Halfway into my YA historical, I arrived at a moment where a dozen roads opened in front of me. I felt like the proverbial kid in the candy store. Which do I choose? Which way will be the most exciting? Fully immersed, I watched in amazement as the story unfolded in front of my eyes and poured through my fingers. What fun!
So what about you? Why do you write, or read, or illustrate, or blog?
We're midway through the month. Go, go, go! And don't forget to stop in at Shari's tomorrow: http://sharigreen.wordpress.com/blog
Mid-month, woo hoo!
ReplyDelete"Because it's fun" is a great answer! People should love what they do.
I think I'm back on track with my goals - I've got five personalized queries written and I'm letting them stew for a few days before I re-read to make sure I didn't make any goofs. Then off goes the first batch while I do more research.
I love that feeling you describe, of having so many choices that you feel like a kid in a candy store. I love that feeling. I love the sense of mystery in writing a story--what are the unexpected things a character might do, the things that surprise even me? How did that ending flow out of me when I hadn't even imagined it before sitting down to write? And there is a rush in watching a story come together. Remembering that feeling gets me through the days when it feels as if the words will barely come.
ReplyDeleteI failed at keeping my writing time yesterday, which I'm frustrated about -- wrote more than 1,500 words, but on a story for work, not my WIP. But I'm back today. One foot before the other...
I'm like you -- I write because it's fun, and because even when it's not, I like the challenge. It's not that I'll just DIE if I don't write down all the stories knocking around inside my head.... I just love doing it!
ReplyDeleteThis is the first day in a while that my head's felt clear enough to write (although I HAVE been writing some... now I'm scared to see what I wrote from the depths of my anemic haze! eek!). And yay! I've got a couple hours this afternoon just to write. Off I go.... :)
I love it too. LOVE it.
ReplyDeleteFor me, I guess it's the thrill of a gem: the perfect phrase, a great plot twist, a unique character, or an amazing idea for a new story.
Totally addicting.
Good vibes for great gems to all. :-)
for me, it's kind of a primal need. not that i'd DIE if i didn't write, but i've been doing it since i was tiny, it's how i make sense of the world, i've never not been storytelling in some form.
ReplyDeleteand Flannery O'Connor said, in answer to the same question, "Because I'm good at it." i think that's fair, too.
i'm working later this afternoon, so no update yet on today's progress.
So much positivity. I love it! I'm sitting down now to open the WIP, hoping that I continue with the fun I had yesterday. I'll check back later. Thanks for the encouragement all!
ReplyDeleteWhy I write? Because I have to! I've tried to stop many times. It doesn't work!
ReplyDeleteI revised one chapter over the last three days but it's much much better now. And completely rewritten. I got stuck on a part of it so it took a day to work it out. Yay!
Next chapter should be easier since I have to cut most of it and replace it with a brand new scene. Therefore, my new scene will automatically be in the correct tense (unlike chapters 1-19 before I decided to change the tense to past).
Finally checking in...
ReplyDeleteTo answer your question, Angelina, I'd have to say that I write to give the characters in my head a place to live and breathe in order to avoid allowing them to take up permanent residence. There just isn't that much room in there to begin with. ;) Like Joy and Shana, I also have to; even when the going is tough and I desperately WANT to quit, to never write another word, I just have to continue on.
Like now. I am sort of stumbling through the revision process, but I know that I have to continue trudging on. With the encouragement and support here, I know I can do it.
Thank you all.
Very little writing done today - just a very busy day, but I did get some good feedback from my agent about a project today, so I'm feeling really positive about that.
ReplyDeleteWhy I write? I feel like it helps me know myself and others better. I'm a very introspective person by nature and writing feeds that side of me in a way nothing else can. Plus, yes, it's fun!
Yes, writing today was still fun. Not as fun as yesterday, but fun still. Character has a secret to reveal and I have no idea what it is. I guess I'll find out tomorrow???
ReplyDeleteI write because I must. I have stories inside me that need to be written down. Sure, I enjoy them; they become my heartsongs. But I need to get these out, because there are always more clamouring for my attention.
ReplyDeleteWith my current WIP, I often feel as if I am channeling this character, as if she's telling me what's going on in her life and I'm just the scribe.
I almost finished an entire scene tonight, but I haven't quite got to the difficult part, because this is where she discovers a beloved family member has been murdered. I hope I'll finish it after writing this checkin. Things are really ramping up, and this key event really gets the major climax arc of the story going.
These stories are brewing in my brain, and like Athena when Zeus swallowed her, they are clamouring to be let out. I write because I must.
-Laura
I'm like Shana. I write because I just cannot NOT do it. Even when I feel as though I'm banging my head against the pavement, trying to figure out where this scene is going or what this character really wants/needs, I can't stop myself. I have to find out.
ReplyDeleteSadly, yesterday was an all work day, no write day (except for a work blog about using Facebook in the college classroom). But today is a special day to me...St. Patrick's Day! A day I remember my life in Ireland and miss all those old places. I lived there for only a year, but it was a beautiful lifetime to me. So I'll dedicate a fabulous day of writing to St. Patrick. Woohoo!