Saturday, September 6, 2014

Who Is A Writer?

I’m sitting on a log on Beverly Beach in Oregon, watching the powerful waves roll in and smash against the rocks and shoreline. I came down to do a little sketching, but my mind drifted back to writing as I tried to describe the ocean in words.  

Why am I writer? Why do I write?  Why did I start? What are my goals? Why can’t I stop and do something else, like drawing?  Where do the voices in my head come from and why doesn’t everyone have them? Those are just a few things rolling through my mind as I listen to the power and roar of the ocean.

I can’t remember why I started. I was very young because I used to make up stories for my dolls. Then it was stories about things I heard about or saw. People used to tell me to quit making up stories because they weren’t true – but that’s what stories are, isn’t it? I keep writing because I can’t stop. Sometimes I’m discouraged because the story doesn’t work. Or everything I’ve written that day is garbage. And I say that’s it. I quit. But a few hours later I’ve thought of something else and I’m back writing. I have too many stories to tell to quit. My goal is to keep writing and publish my stories. I love the plots and my characters. Maybe someone else will, too. And sometimes I’m trying to get a message out – like my latest book – Don’t Go. I’m trying to educate people about chatrooms. As for the voices in my head – I have no idea why I hear them.

I’d love to hear what other people have to say. Why do you write? Can you tell me where the voices come from?

7 comments:

  1. Ha ha.... my latest book, the one I'm editing right now, is called Voices! ... ah, but it's not about writers... and yes, I hear voices and have been telling stories forever. it's just writing them down that gets a bit sticky sometimes :)

    Happy Saturday from White Rock beach to Beverley beach.... how cool to have a beach named after you ;)

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    1. Kathy, I love the title - even if it's not about those we always have in our head. I think most writers hear them and have been writing forever. I guess it's like being born with blue eyes or brown. It's genetic - do you think?

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  2. Bev -- You hit the nail on the head. Why am I a writer? Just like you -- because I can't stop. I started writing down my stories when I was in high school and I can't go for very long without writing something. And you're right about having too many stories that keep coming. They never stop, so I can't stop! Have fun at the beach-- it's a great place to write.

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    1. It sounds like we have an addiction. :) Glad I'm not the only one.
      And where do those stories keep coming from?

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  3. Not an addiction but an obsession and a love of words and of painting pictures with those words. My writing began as a child when a group of friends sat on the porches in the summer and spun ghost and horror stories, moving on to writing and producing plays in a friend's garage. I don't hear voices, I have no muse. I just continue spinning stories and will until I can't

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    1. Obsession works for me, Janet. Whether it's an obsession or an addiction, and with or without the voices, we all seem to have so many stories we have to keep writing. And I remember telling those ghost stories a long time ago - mostly at camp. Thanks for sharing.

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