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

Why did I start writing?

[anonymous]

I can't really put my finger on exactly when I decided I wanted to write. I always loved to read. To travel to a different place in my mind was always very exciting. Then one day, I wanted to be a more active part of that process. I wanted to participate in creating that feeling for others. Inspiration and my passion for writing definitely found me.

Re: Why did I start writing?

[cyn2write]

Yes, for me, writing just became a natural extension of reading. I couldn't just read, I always needed to be a more active part of it, like you said. And I think once you start, it becomes hard to lose that itch to write.

[as_king]

Holy cow. I am so not famous. And I so don't know how to write either. I've been winging it from the get go, man. (Bob Marley says: "Jah write all dem songs anyway.")

You are very talented and you certainly are not getting out of talking. :)

Also, for the record I totally suck at making pasta.

Amy <---don't order spaghetti in her restaurant.

[cyn2write]

It's so good to know even the people who do it really well have no clue what they're doing. It gives me so much comfort. This should be an awesome talk... "Er, we don't know, we just do it."

Becoming a Writer

[ext_399911]

First of all - I'm with you on the whole 'I do it, but teaching others is a whole different game.'
I love doing manuscript critiques, but it's taken me a while to get past the feeling that I'm merely impersonating someone who knows what she's talking about.

I started writing in the third grade after a poet named Billie Jean James visited my school. I was an avid reader (though a poor student). Until I met her I thought that books and poetry were written by people long dead. It didn't occur to me that authors could be living people.

Billie Jean was a great poet and a great inspiration, and she's the reason I'm so passionate about doing school visits. She passed away last summer. I'm grateful I had the chance to let her know about my books, and how she'd inspired me before that happened.

Re: Becoming a Writer

[cyn2write]

I remember how intelligent and professional you sounded at SCBWI when you were giving critiques right next to me, and I was like, "If only I could be like her, she knows what she's talking about!" So I think maybe we all just pretend we know what we're doing and people eventually might believe us?

Wow, talk about inspiring! She must have been so proud of you! And good for you for giving back; I bet you are inspiring so many young people, too. I never had any authors visit my school but I would have been blown away by that.

[jessica_shea]

I've wanted to write since I wrote a story about my grandparents' cabin in 4th grade. It was followed by stories about the horses at the barn where I took riding lessons. Hmm...wonder if my mom still has those around somewhere?

Yay for Agent Jim's amazing speediness--and for you! Good luck with your workshop!

[cyn2write]

You should dig them up and post them on your blog! And isn't Jim the greatest???

[robinellen]

I've been writing stories in my head since...well, as long as I can remember (certainly by 3rd or 4th grade). I never thought I had the patience to actually write them down, however...but once I had both kiddos (and they were both toddlers or babies), I realized I needed to write them down.

[cyn2write]

It's amazing how many people just came up with stories in their heads and didn't start writing them down until they had kids. Did you read them to your kids?

[robinellen]

My stories have always been YA (well, not when I was in elementary school, heh), so they weren't things which would interest my kiddos ;)