What is it that encourages us to write? Why do we sit behind the screen and rack our brains to find what will happen next?
I've always been a 'writer' in a sense but it's only been in the last year that I've really wanted to write. I'm not sure where the switch came from. I'm not sure what it is that made me say to myself, I really want to write.
In the past few weeks there have been a significant number of changes in my life. In fact my life has almost been turned upside down, and writing, my blog, everything has taken a back seat. I've barely even thought about the story that's been sitting inside my mind for the past nine months and had to focus on the here and now of my life.
A part of me even wondered if I'd find my way back to writing or if it would be something that I'd been into for a while and just floated away to the place where my old hopes and dreams now lived.
Once my life was in order my mind kept drifting back to the world that I had created, and this girl... the main character of my story, she kept popping up in my mind asking why I wasn't writing. Plus I missed it. I knew my motivation had gone because I wasn't having a lot of luck with my writing before I took my break, but I knew I cared too much about this idea, this story to just leave it behind. I need to know what happens. I need to know how this story ends, and the only way to do that is to find my motivation and start writing again.
I don't really have an answer for my first question. I love writing, and I love the sense of purpose it gives me. I know I'm the only one that can tell my story in the way I want it told. So maybe that's why we write. To tell the stories that we know we're the only ones who can tell them.
Why do you write? Why do you make the time to sit down at your computer and write when you know there is probably a million other things you could be doing instead?
I'd like to know...
I've always been a 'writer' in a sense but it's only been in the last year that I've really wanted to write. I'm not sure where the switch came from. I'm not sure what it is that made me say to myself, I really want to write.
In the past few weeks there have been a significant number of changes in my life. In fact my life has almost been turned upside down, and writing, my blog, everything has taken a back seat. I've barely even thought about the story that's been sitting inside my mind for the past nine months and had to focus on the here and now of my life.
A part of me even wondered if I'd find my way back to writing or if it would be something that I'd been into for a while and just floated away to the place where my old hopes and dreams now lived.
Once my life was in order my mind kept drifting back to the world that I had created, and this girl... the main character of my story, she kept popping up in my mind asking why I wasn't writing. Plus I missed it. I knew my motivation had gone because I wasn't having a lot of luck with my writing before I took my break, but I knew I cared too much about this idea, this story to just leave it behind. I need to know what happens. I need to know how this story ends, and the only way to do that is to find my motivation and start writing again.
I don't really have an answer for my first question. I love writing, and I love the sense of purpose it gives me. I know I'm the only one that can tell my story in the way I want it told. So maybe that's why we write. To tell the stories that we know we're the only ones who can tell them.
Why do you write? Why do you make the time to sit down at your computer and write when you know there is probably a million other things you could be doing instead?
I'd like to know...
I think writing tells us a lot about ourselves; about how we think, how we function, how we truly feel about something. I think that release - of sorting out and letting go - is necessary for everyone, and authors find it through their writing . We need that time to slow down and breathe and live and our own words on the page allow us to do that. I think there are parts of ourselves in everything we write, regardless of genre, and we want to share our experiences and our characters' journeys. There's a big element of writing to please the reader, but there has to be an equal measure of writing to fulfill the author, too. And when you find the balance between those two...the satisfaction allows you to brave the frightening parts of being an author, like querying and building your platform.
ReplyDeletePlus, who doesn't want to be master and commander of their own world, with absolute control over an infinite number of minions? ;)
Ah you're so right! Such a good explanation! I think writing is a great way to connect with yourselves again. And you're so right, being master and commander of your own world is pretty awesome! ;-)
DeleteI've been writing since I was a little kid, and for as long as I can remember I've dreamed of having a book published. After years of letting other things take priority, I finally made up my mind to take this goal seriously. It's been a lot of work, and I know there's a lot more work ahead, but through the process I've learned so much. The amount of learning seems to correspond with my desire to write as well. For me, I think it took finding the right story idea for my motivation to really kick in. Once that happened, I haven't been able to let go of it since. Like you said, I care about this idea, and I have to know what happens. I hope you're able to settle back into your writing routine, Samantha, and that whatever is going on in your life will get better soon. Hope everything is okay. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Erin :) It's just life, I guess, hitting speed bumps. They will pass and my writing will get back on track again. I'm looking forward to getting back into the swing of things as I'm actually starting to miss finding out what happens next in my story! I know how hard you work on your WIP, and I'm confident your dream will come true. Can't wait to see your book on the shelves one day!
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