IWSG & Blogging News
1 week ago
Why I Write Blogfest
Kayeleen Hamblin from Kayeleen's Creation Corner is hosting her first ever blogfest, yay! So of course I had to jump in and join ('cause I'm crazy like that, but also to support her). All I need to do is share why I write. What is it that makes me clock in less than the recommended 8 hours of sleep just so I can write? Why suffer carpal tunnel syndrome at the keyboard? Why do I get glassy-eyed in mid-conversation with someone because an idea had gripped my brain vise-like and wouldn't let go?
I was a reader first before I became a writer. But I've always had a penchant for writing, even early on in my childhood. Or at least I liked telling stories. My audience? A bunch of sniffly cousins all younger than I was (it's all about hierarchy among cousins, of course. Haha!). They'd sit around me and I remember spinning tales off the books I've read, mostly from the Arabian tales (Scheherazade copycat). Later on, my sister and I would write down short fiction that were very melodramatic and made us cry (forbidden love and death...very Romeo and Juliet).
High school came with a lot of teen angst and insecurity. I wrote poem after poem to deal with my inner drama. They weren't anything grand or exceptional, but they comforted me. Needless to say, English was my best subject at school. My teachers would borrow my pieces to be shown as examples.
All through the years, I've always found time to read. While I was carrying my second child, it came to me that I'm capable of writing a freaking entire book if I'd put my mind to it. Why not, right? Others have certainly done it, and I could do it too. So I wrote. Feverishly, I might add. My sister (the same one who used to write Romeo and Juliet spinoffs) read my 400-page ms and loved it. Thank heaven for wonderful sisters!
I would later chopped this beloved first draft until I had to concede and put it to rest in a folder. Other ideas would come and go, and that exhilarating feeling of writing would slap me happy. I do write for pure enjoyment--whether I get published or not, as long as I'm happy slaving away at my PC, I keep on writing. I know people snort when they hear a writer say, "I'm not doing this for the money". But I'm not. I'm blessed enough to enjoy being a stay-at-home mom and being able to pursue writing as a creative outlet. To get published would be a bonus, certainly, but the money is not my ultimate goal. (You can throw rocks if you want to, but this is my truth.)
Thanks Kayeleen, for this opportunity to share. Check out the other responses by clicking on the picture:
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- Precy Larkins
- I'm a YA writer who loves to read. Also a mom of 3. My life is crazy but always fun. :) I'm a member of The YA Club, a group blog about YA books. You can also find me blogging at: http://precylarkins.wordpress.com Represented by the lovely Julia A. Weber of J. A. Weber Literaturagentur GmbH. Thanks for stopping by! Email me: writercherie@gmail.com
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25 comments:
I love the Arabain Nights! Have you read Shadow Spinner by Susan Fletcher? It's a really neat story about this girl who end up meeting and helping Scheherazade. One of my favorites :)
I used to tell my siblings stories while they played in the bathtub. I don't remember when I stopped telling oral stories, but now I pretty much only write them.
that was a great story of your journey into writing! thanks for sharing it =)
Awesome post! If a writer IS doing it for the money, then they're in for a big surprise, lol ;o) Writing is definitly one of those things you have to do because you enjoy it, especially since more often than not, self-gratification is the only form of payment a writer is going to get ;o)
I just read a great post yesterday about how people need to remember that they are writing for fun. Sure it's hard, exhausting, and you can get awfully frustrated with it and yourself, but writers (the good ones, to me) write because it makes them happy to create that world or scenario in a way no one else can.
I love to see people passionate like you are in this post :)
Aaah to have a captive audience of sniveling family members ;) I love your story. It makes my heart happy. It's fun to see that we all share so much in this journey :)
My little sister and I were always telling stories. We were the oldest 2 of 8 sibs, so it was a captive audience for me, too.
I love the freedom that comes from writing. It's such a great outlet.
Thanks for participating in the blogfest!
I think some people are born story tellers and you are one of them.
Writing is the best cure for teen angst and more teenagers should be doing it :)
I love hearing your stories, my dear Cherie!
I was such a reader as a child that I would carry books down the street and wander into ditches. No kidding. I also read at the dinner table (and my very kind parents LET me do it!)
I read a post somewhere recently where agented and published writers spoke about reality not living up to the dream. I'm wondering if it's because they had their focus on the money. Money is a bonus, as you say. :)
I was seeing a vision, in my mind, as you wrote of playing Scheherazade to your cousins, of L.M. Alcott and her sisters putting on their plays. What a wonderful and rich beginning to your writers' journey. Totally jealous here.
Somebody (Heinlein?) wrote that because money is a symbol of value received, we would be foolish to disdain it - but I'm 100% with you in that writing for money alone cannot satisfy.
Happy to have e-met your through this blogfest. Writing in Flow
I completely understand not doing it for the money- in truth where exactly is the money as we slave away on edits, drafts, word choices...not there unless you are a best seller.
I think a lot of people who are in it solely for the money find themselves sadly disappointed. If not in the money, then in themselves.
I love your backstory with your sister :D
I also wrote about not being in it for the money. Those who don't write, have no idea how many hours go into it. You have to do it because you love it. I'm glad you have that opportunity and that love!
Thanks, everyone, for your lovely comments! This has been a fun and enlightening blogfest so I appreciate Kayeleen for hosting it. :)
Hope you're all having a great day/evening! <3
Wonderful post and I thought it was very sweet how you spent the time to tell your sniffling cousins stories. I can relate to your journey for many reasons. And being a stay-at-home mum myself, I'm glad hubby is indulgent of my current fixation with writing. :-)
I absolutely believe that you write for the love of it. There is nothing more exhilarating than creating a new world of characters and settings and watching them interact until something explosive occurs. If I was married, I would probably still be writing for pleasure. For me, writing is an uncontrollable urge. It's an obsession that I deal with as best I can. Fortunately, I'm also in the situation where I either have to give it my all or go back to half-assing it the way I did for so many years. I'm in sink or swim mode, and it's pretty exciting and nerve-wracking at the same time.
You have a beautiful writing voice, Cherie. I hope you never stop writing for us. You WILL be published. I am certain of it.
Thanks for sharing and GREAT intro to your tale! :)
Thanks for sharing. I love it when I hear people write "feverishly." And shouldn't we snort at anyone who thinks writers actually make any money?
My sister and I used to spin stories as well, she was always more creative than myself, so I thought for sure she would be the writer! I still try to get her to write (or at least give me ideas that I can steal mwahahaha!) but she has too much going on all the time. Sigh.
Anyways, love your post mamacita! :-)
I loved reading your journey to writing! Great post.
Great post - yes sometimes it's hard to remember why we write. But reading is definitely a part of that. Making time to read is one of the things that will make us better writers - and just happier people, IMO.
Great post ! And I respect YOUR truth that you do it out of love ... you are obviously passionate about the craft !
Nothing wrong with writing for you! I had no delusions I'd make a bunch of money as an author.
Your journey into writing sounds a little like mine in places, though I was a poor reader until very recently and now I devour books. I like how you describe your journey. :O)
Hey Cherie!
I'm late to the party (was out of town), but loved reading your response. I'm with you on the writing for the sake of writing...even if I never get published, I'll never stop. It's the joy of the creation that keeps me going.
Thanks for sharing! (New follower here!)
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