Thoughts About Writing
Ask most writers, and they'll tell you writing isn't a choice. It's a yearning. For some, it's an obsession. Others might use it to silence the stories that demand to be written. No matter the reason for grabbing a pen or a keyboard, telling a story isn't a choice.
This is the story of one writer's journey and why writing matters to her.
What's this website for?
Sell books
Build community
Inspire writers
Readers make good writers
When I was a kid, I read everything. My favorite books were the ones I could relate to. Back in the olden days, though, there just weren't a lot of books for kids my age, and even less published for kids like me. So, I wrote stories I wanted to read. The same goes for the adult me. I can't tell you how many Harlequin romances I devoured at a very inappropriate age. Don't worry. I balanced those with Stephen King and sel-help books. Suffice to say, I consumed a broad assortment of adult books, and after I got over my fear of vampires hovering outside my window, and burly men wanting to take my virtue, my stories started to reflect the reading I did. A lot of which is reflected in my writing to this day with strong women characters, good communicators, and lots of introspection.
Build a Writing Community
The more writing you do, the better you get, and the more confidence you build. The same goes for the more writers you surround yourself with, the more you learn about all aspects of writing. I spent many years writing sporadically due to the demands of my day job. But one day, I saw a flyer in a coffee shop for a writing group with a meeting time that fit into my schedule, and I was hooked. I was the only romance writer in the group. I was younger than most of the group, and I felt wholly unqualified to be among Pulitzer Prize-nominated authors, famous poets, and college professors. But it didn't matter. I was among my people. I eventually outgrew the group, but I'm still friends with some of them. Finding my community was a huge step forward in my writing career. I've continued to seek opportunities to build that community, challenged my comfort levels, taken classes, volunteered with non-profits, entered writing contests, and participated in many other writing-related pursuits. I've since left my career in high tech and immersed myself in the community I've slowly built. I'd say it's the single most influential aspect of my writing journey.
Your Story Needs to Be Told
I never thought I'd be a teacher, let alone teach writing. But I am. Aside from composition classes in high school and a few technical writing classes in college, my entire education was focused on the sciences. I certainly never expected to write fiction. But I was wrong. Insecurity is the reason I wrote ten manuscripts before I felt good enough to seek a publisher. I was turned down a few times, but one day I wasn't. My main insecurity was about my stories being uninteresting. I also had some worries about quality, but that's what editors are for. And seriously, editors are an under-appreciated population. I owe them for the most useful part of my education because they use your own work to teach you how to improve. I say all of this because insecurity is the killer of inspiration and one of the main challenges that result in writers not pursuing their dreams. Insecurity is only overcome by doing. So tell your story. Write what pleases you. The worst thing that can happen is no one will read it, and if someone does, even if they don't like it, who cares? Especially if you don't know them? There will always be someone who needs to read it.