Tuesday, September 29, 2009
The Writing Bug
I'm always intrigued as to when and why writers first became enthralled with writing. Was it as a child or as an adult? Were you inspired by teachers or authors? Did you write because you had to, i.e., work-related writing or have you always written for pleasure?
For me, the writer's bug bit when I was in eighth grade. I was on the Pipkin Junior High School newspaper staff. I wrote articles and served as the roving reporter. I especially liked that because I love to ask people questions (note my weekly poll!) When I wrote articles and saw my byline, though, I was hooked. I'd love to find those articles some day.
Basically, I've always enjoyed writing--any kind of writing. Short stories, novels, six-word memoirs, children's picture books and even corporate writing. In banking and healthcare, I created several thirty-second television and radio scripts. I even won a state-wide, second place award for one of my television scripts about substance abuse. Now, my writing career has turned to novel writing which is exciting, fun, solitary and agonizing all at the same time.
When did the writing bug bite you? How old were you, what did you write at the time, and what do you write now?
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I've gone through spurts. The first one being when I was a teenager. I actually started a romance novel, although I never finished it and have no idea whatever happened to it. Then years later, I wanted to try again. Started with novels. I've written three y/a novels. Self-published one, marketing one, and ditched the other. Now I'm working mainly on romance novels again, PLUS short stories.
ReplyDeleteI have always been intrigued by words.A friend started a writing class a few years ago at the library. I joined and enjoyed our exercises. When his job made it impossible to continue, he asked me to take over the group and keep it going. I did and The Weekly Writers Guild came into being. I assigned them things to write like, memories of spring, your favorite things, Your best Fourth of July, and on and on. We laughed alot and had fun but our things were not going anywhere but maybe recycled into next years Fourth of July Memories. We did have some real good material. Then I heard about the ORA Conference. I could not go to it, but I got to go to the Book Signing at Borders. I was invited to come to meetings at:ORA, Sleuth's Ink, and SWG. Went home so excited and got the whole group wanting to go find out more about writing. Everyone has helped us so much and we are getting down to some serious writing now. What Fun! We opened a monthly public meeting and had good response to THE QUILL AND INK CLUB.
ReplyDeleteWe have high hopes and are laughing alot and praying alot.
I always hated writing. My mother told me that I was far better in person than on paper. So I continued with my teaching, got my doctorate and "tolerated" writing. After rewriting my dissertation into an academic book and getting it published, my teaching gigs dried up. I got "inspiration" last summer (2008) and started thinking about the possibility of writing a novel. Then over the winter I started it...first draft done and editing/revisioning in process. I LOVE being an aspiring published fiction author. It is SO much fun. I really love Sleuths' Ink and the very convivial community. Can't wait to post that my drafts are done. Of course, since I'm teaching part time again it is going far too slowly. Happy trails everyone!
ReplyDeleteThanks for commenting on my blog (first person present tense) two weeks ago. Just wanted to let you know that I incorporated some of your comments into a new post. Drop by when you get the chance!
ReplyDeleteI've been daydreaming and writing all my life it seems. Grade school - I wrote and wrote. We lived in the country so I guess my writing was my passtime as well as a friend I could talk to. My mother encouraged reading and when I had read everything in our little school library, she gave me a library card to the West Plains Library. Heaven!. I could only get to the library once a month but I carried home mountains of books.
ReplyDeleteAs a freshman in HS, I had an essay published in the school paper and I was hooked. Went on from there to another published essay in a national teen magazine.
Then life got in the way - husband and kids take up a lot of time.
In the late '60's I worked for a small weekly newspaper. The Editor allowed me to write features and take pictures. He was the first person to tell me I was a good writer. Then I queried LifeWay to write their Bible Lessons for Deaf. The rest is history. I've never stopped writing. Can't stop writing.
Shirley, Jan, Stephanie and Pat - I LOVED hearing your stories about when and where the writing bug bit you. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteAlso, Livia, I appreciated your blog post on writing in past and present tense. A good discussion. We've also discussed it here.
Before I learned to write, I was a reader. Mother taught me to read at home and I was a willing student - was reading Golden Books at four and Bobsey Twins before I entered first grade. I loved the way the books took me to new, exciting, wholesome places. Do you remember The Five Little Peppers, The Boxcar Children, Little Britches and, my all time favorite, The Little House Books? I still get a thrill remembering those stories.
ReplyDeleteI didn't realize that they were actually written by someone until I was a little older - it was more like taking a peek through the window into the lives of my dearest friends. Once that realization hit, I began writing little snippits - loved the creative writing semesters during junior high & high school, and Mom was happy with my English grades (don't ask about math :-)) Life got busy after high school - marriage, children, church & school activities - and I satisfied the writing urge by sending LONG letters to family and friends.
Now? I'm still an advocate of writing letters and can still turn out seven or eight pages about absolutely nothing. I've had several nostalgic stories published in Good Old Days Magazine (watch for one of mine in the December 2009 issue) and a story in Grit. Have written one novel and am trying to market it, and I'm mapping out what just might become an historical series beginning in the 1880's Ozarks.
That's probably more than you wanted to know about my writing history, but then...I AM known for my eight page letters!
Hey Beth, I got an early start. My first story was 'Sally Is My Dog' when I was five. I'm glad no one knows where it is lol. When I was 12, my best friend wanted to write a book and I decided I wanted to too. My urge to write stuck. When I was 16 I co-wrote a romance novel with an older, wiser friend of mine and it was considered by Harlequin. They rejected it after about a year, but it's still something of an achievement. I did short stories and poetry in high school, too. I stopped writing when my dad died in '03, didn't so anything creative for five years. The Convict & the Cattleman is my first big project since then.
ReplyDeleteI started writing in high school. I was one of those kids who was trying to figure out where I was to fit in. English class had us write a poem and gave us 5 minutes to write on useing certain instructions, I wrote 6. My teacher gave me evtra credit to write different forms of poems. I became the guy who writes those poems. I was even asked to join the school paper by another english teacher. Story writing came in a way to deal with anger. It was my world away from 'the world'. I started to notice I wrote about the things around me, but never me. That discovery of letting yourself be a part of what you write was in some many ways freeing.
ReplyDeleteWow. Such interesting comments. Jean, I was a reader first, too, and I loved The Boxcar Children and Little House series. I bet your family members enjoyed those long letters.
ReplyDeleteBecky, I hope you still have your first book. My daughter also wrote a book at age 5 called THE CAVE. Also, quite an achievement that you caught Harlequin's eye at the ripe old age of 16! I'm glad you started writing again. Good luck with your novel.
SpringfiOddDuck, appreciated hearing your story. Sounds like your writing is therapeutic. Great about your poems! I dabble a little with poetry but am still learning.
Great post, Beth. I loved going back and reading all the comments.
ReplyDeleteAs an adult I wrote a children's book, Cornelius Comma Saves the Day as a way to teach my second graders about the importance of using a comma in a list. I went on to self-publish it and then found the wonderful world of magazine writing. That is where most of my writing has been since.
ReplyDelete