After talking with one of my Twitter friends about when we knew that writing was something we had to do, I decided it would be a fun topic to bring up here as a question for all of you.
So...
When did you know/decide you were going to write books? It's probably unnecessary for me to say this, us all being writers at heart and all, but be descriptive! Tell us about the how and the why, as well as the when. Usually those three questions are all intertwined, but I figure that it bears mentioning just in case.
For me it was fifth grade. We had a Geography teacher that subbed in to teach English in my middle school. If I remember right he actually taught in that capacity all that year. Anyway, it was nearing Christmas vacation when he asked us to write a short story; just some little piece of creative writing. Can't remember if there was an overall point beyond that, but I chose to write my story from the point of view of a pine tree watching a family walking about a hillside in search of the perfect Christmas tree. Of course the fact that it was told from the tree's point of view wasn't apparent until the ax started swinging. It was a melancholy story--bittersweet, but not exactly dark. At any rate, I felt... not quite in the classroom when I wrote it; almost as if I was there on the hillside. Not the tree, not the family--just another observer. That was my first experience with "the zone" we all get in at times.
I was excited about the feeling I had experienced, and I was proud of the piece, and I was dying to hear what the teacher would say. When I handed it in I didn't say a word, I just waited. The next day he came in and pulled me aside when the class ended and told me that he thought it was incredible. I'll never forget the look on his face. He really did look amazed that a child in fifth grade had produced that story. I nearly cried and laughed out loud at the same time. I had never felt good at anything before then. He told me that he would speak with my mother, and true to his word, he called her in to the school and told her right there in front of me, "You're son has a gift. He needs to be a writer."
So from that day on I've wanted to write fiction. I wanted to tell stories that would bring people to "the zone" with me.
That's my story. What's yours?
About Me
- S.D. Hirsch
- Fledgling writer with a passion and fire to live, love, and be happy. Fast approaching the half-way point in my first novel: Brother's Wyrd, Volume 1 of 2.
Oh, what a beautiful story! Do you still have that little piece of fiction?
ReplyDeleteOh my god, I wish. Funny you ask though, I actually wondered if my mother kept it. I'm going to ask but I don't have high hopes on anything that far back.
DeleteOk Shawn. You've inspired me and frankly since you are the only person who has ever asked, here it is.
ReplyDeleteI started writing at the age of 16. Mostly to escape an abusive relationship. I was rebellious and ran away from home a few times before my parents finally gave up on me and allowed me to get married. I realized soon thereafter that it was a mistake.
Five years passed and I found that I was just an empty shell. Beaten and abused in every way possible, I had nothing inside of me anymore and didn't care if I lived or died. I had put aside my pen and paper and picked up cocaine and meth. I was drowning in my self inflicted sorrow.
I overdosed one day when I was home alone and as I lay in the shower with cold water raining down on me I realized that I had more to give to the world than what my current husband had convinced me that I could give. I had a choice; quit drugs or quit my life. I chose life...that was January 2, 1990.
Six weeks later I discovered I was pregnant. Coincidence? The hand of God? Either way I was clean and on October 10, 1990 I had a healthy baby girl.
Time would pass and I would forget about my desires to put pen to paper. Husbands would come and go. Busy with life and love, raising a family and penning poetry from time to time until one day an epiphany.
What the hell was I doing? I had forgotten who I really was. I had forgotten that it's OK to be a happy mother, wife, and worker but I had the right to have JOY. I had the right to be what I wanted to be all those years ago.
I closed my eyes and started to see who I was. A phoenix rose from the ashes that day and became my first novel. 140,000 words written in three weeks. I cried, laughed, and took a deep breath as Crimson came to life and became my hero. She is the main character in my first novel and after finishing the book I realized that she was me.
A. M. Jandia
www.amjandia.com
That is the essence of living, writing, and finding fulfillment. You have such an incredible story, Ann. Be proud of where you are now and always strive for joy in life, never mediocrity. Passion is not an option for those that want to truly live, as you do.
DeleteThat story gives me chills! I'm so glad you wrote your hero on paper.
ReplyDeleteThat's a great story! :)
ReplyDeleteMy story isn't as joyful as yours. I was in a very dark place in my life and had things I had to struggle with on my own. My only release was to start writing. Everything I wanted to say in real life, but couldn't, went into my stories.
My third grade teacher, Miss Kemper, introduce me to writing short stories. I was 8. I could barely string the words together to make a sentence, but as the year went on my stories got longer and longer. She gave me extra credit for each one I wrote. She also allowed me to work on them while the class did other things. I didn't write for many years after that, but the seed was planted.
ReplyDelete