So I know that origin blogfest was, like, a billion years ago (or last week), but I didn't put anything up back when it was actually going on. And there's a reason for that. Which is mostly... I don't know my writing origin.
I know a lot of writers say they've been writing forever, but then they'll say something like, "But I've been seriously writing since X." But I honestly can't remember a time when I haven't been seriously writing (for the purposes of this, I define "seriously writing" as "writing with intent to be published"). My parents say that at three years old, I told them I wanted to be a writer, and I have half-finished, rambling stories from as early as six (though admittedly, some of that are only very slightly altered Babysitter's Club stories). I started writing my first novel when I was eight, and I finished it when I was twelve. I even had my dad's friend (a self-published author) critique it for me. My second novel followed when I was sixteen, and then the Novel-We-Speak-Not-Of was for NaNoWriMo in 2009.
Now, granted, I don't believe anything I've written before Rosetta was nearly good enough for publication. But that didn't stop me from looking for awhile when I was in middle and high school. I'd get as far as the query letter before the wheels came off the wagon (hmm, that's where I am now...). Then I went to college and took a detour by majoring in television, only to realize that I enjoyed writing television reviews. Which ultimately led me back to fiction writing.
Anyway, this is sort of a long way of saying that I never really had that epiphany moment or that book that suddenly opened my eyes to the world of writing. It's just always been something I did. I carried notebooks with me everywhere I went, talked to myself in the shower in different characters' voices, and read like I was in Fahrenheit 451 and they were about to burn my books. It's just always been this little part of me that never really went away, even when I thought maybe I wasn't cut out for it.
That is almost the same as my own story, but the only person who ever read my stories was my mum! I always wanted to be a writer, then I ducked out because I thought it was an impossible dream. I didn't want it any less though, I just didn't think I could do it. Most of the time, I still feel that way, but I keep going anyway! :D
ReplyDeleteWow, I didn't even learn how to read until I was six. Forget writing. I still didn't like it much at age eight.
ReplyDeleteThen, in sixth grade, something clicked. It wasn't like, but I realized I was good at poetry. The liking came into play at thirteen.
This is awesome! And I love how you said you talked to yourself in the shower. I always do that, and make faces in the mirror and all sorts of other funny habits. It's good to hear your story!
ReplyDeleteOh, I do the faces too! I'll sometimes have a conversation while looking in the mirror, just to see what facial expressions I'm making and what emotions seem to be sure.
DeleteWe writers are funny creatures. :-)
I shutter at the first queries/synopses/sample chapters I sent out from my first book. Gah, I hope they don't remember me!
ReplyDelete