Five Things on a Friday

[cyn2write]

I never do 5 things because I never HAVE 5 things. But maybe today I can swing it:

1.  I was thinking this morning about how writing is one of those things I always knew I would do. Like, when I was 5 years old, I wanted to be a writer of books. I didn't even know that was a profession, but somehow, I DID write books.  In my next post I plan to show

Comments

[akossket]

Hum I'm going to jump to number 5.
I can't believe you're saying you "don't really know how to write". There are people like me who look up to people like you, and believe you "REALLY know how to write". <3

Alright now to number 1.
I remember the time I actually decided I had to write. It was after watching an episode of "the pirates of dark water", a Hanna Barbera cartoon I was crazy about in the days (well, I think I still am). I wanted to write stories as awesome as the story line in the cartoon and I started right away. Wasting the school notebooks my parents got me instead. Before that Aha moment, I would tell myself stories to put me to sleep every single night, for as far as can remember.
It feels so strange remembering now... thanks for doing this.

[cyn2write]

I guess my fear of teaching a class comes from the fact that I must be doing something right, but I'm not sure what. So I don't know what people would learn from me. Hee.

So you were pretty young, too, hmm? And interesting about telling yourself stories to put yourself to sleep! I think it's very cool that you remember the cartoon and everything... I can't really remember what made me want to do it.

[lisa_schroeder]

Wow, you are a writing machine!

And I feel exactly like you do - like how long have I been doing this, and I still don't feel like I know how to write.

I wish I could come to your workshop on Sunday. Even though I'm not a teen, I would wear my hair in a ponytail and put on big sun glasses and you'd NEVER know, right? Ha.

[cyn2write]

I would be happy to have you there. I am nervous talking to teens for some reason. And you'd totally fit in!

I think the thing is, deep inside, I know how, but it's not something I could teach to another person. I'm not exactly sure what about my writing works, or when it doesn't work. I just have no clue. Glad to hear you feel the same way after all the amazing books you've churned out!!

[ext_302998]

What made me start writing? I, too, wrote stories all my life but never considered the creative writing aspect a career opportunity. I thought I would be a journalist and I did write for the school paper in junior high and wrote a lot of creative writing in high school--purely for fun, though, as I still didn't think it could be a career. College changed my journalism into broadcast and I wanted to work in entertainment---but I stil wrote for the paper and school magazine, along with writing fan fiction online. A few years later when I became a Mama and started homeschooling, I started writing articles on that topic for an online magazine, but again, for fun. It wasn't until last year after starting the year praying for guidance in how to use my passions, and being reintroduced to YA Literature that I then decided to try it for real. I started in July and now I am hooked :-) I have one YA Contemporary Romance finished and working on my second.

[cyn2write]

I think the whole belief that writing can't be a career has swerved many people away from it, sadly! I loved writing but got into marketing because I thought I wouldn't be able to make money at it, either. But I guess if it's your passion you will find a way back to it, or it will find a way back to you.

Congrats on finishing your novel, and good luck on the next one!

[aimeestates]

What made me start writing? You mean besides J.K. (I'm a walking cliche). You know, I didn't think about it much at the time, but when my daughter was 8 years old, she was reading chapter books, and I thought, "I want to write her a story."

So a book about fairies turned into another book about goblins, turned into another book about mermaids, etc., and VOILA!

[cyn2write]

I guess a lot of parents are inspired to write by their children! Sometimes I want to write a picture book for my kids but I don't know where to start!

[jongibbs]

The GLVWG con is going to be a lot of fun :)

[cyn2write]

Yes! I can't wait.