Wednesday, October 19, 2011

Road Trip Wednesday #101


This Week's Topic:
What's your numero-uno reason for writing?

I have stories to tell.

That's the real reason.  People have often given me slightly odd looks after reading stories and said things like, "I would love to be in your head for a little while."  But for me, I love being in my head.  I love that feeling when a story idea starts to creep.  And I want to tell the stories, so I can enjoy them fully, as well as other people.

The question can actually be taken in a lot of ways.  What's my reason for sitting down and plying pen to paper or fingers to keyboard at any moment?  What's my reason for sitting down and moving forward on my revisions, trying to beat a novel into publishable shape?  What's my reason for wanting to be a writer, for wanting writing to be a major, important part of my life?

The Abduction of Rebecca
Although one of my reasons is that I have stories, that I love the feeling of linking ideas together, of turning a scene, of coming up with a perfect pinpoint metaphor, writing, as a goal, is also very important to me.  In a way, it has to do with why I never read contemporary YA as a young adult.  The real world is disappointing.  It's full of problems.  And it seems impossible to actually be the sort of hero who can change things, who can change people.  The scope of our ability for independent action is so constrained.  How can I touch people?  How can I reach people?

I'm not someone who is trying to put a message in my books.  I'm too ambivalent about everything to proselytize.  But even from my small experience with writing fanfiction, the responses I would get, the people who would tell me how a new piece I posted made a shitty day better, or thanked me for giving something they could turn to when they were going through a tough time, it was such an amazing feeling.  It was like, "yes, this is something I want to do.  This is something that's worth it."

So yeah, the heady sense of power.  That's good too.

11 comments:

  1. "I have stories to tell."

    This might be my favorite answer yet. :)

    So simple, yet perfect too. Great take on this topic!

    ReplyDelete
  2. To make a difference, not even to the whole world, but maybe just one person's life--I think, I *hope*, a lot of us can relate to that. Even if it's just to bring a smile to someone having a bad day. Nice answer.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Really good answer :) I think all of us probably have heads just crowded with stories wanting to get out. That's probably one of the best things ever.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yep. Words are powerful, and it's good to use them and appreciate them as such. Nice post!

    ReplyDelete
  5. "I love being in my head." good to hear! Nice take on this.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I definitely 'get' this. I love being in my head too. I also love being in other people's heads... but that's a blog entry on it's own.

    My reason is very close to your reason. I love to share all the stories in my head. I wanna suck people in. I want people to participate in my stories.

    Power is good too, of course!

    ReplyDelete
  7. "So yeah, the heady sense of power. That's good too."

    Haha... I bet that's secretly everyone's reason. Power is incredibly attractive.

    ReplyDelete
  8. This is a great reason--especially your point about what writing can do for people. What a great reminder.

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love this response, because I think it's really true--I know it is for me, at least. And I hope someday someone will give me feedback like that on my writing. That, I think, would be true success.

    By the way...my blog also has a grand total of two members. We should be friends ;D

    ReplyDelete
  10. Aw. I love the communicative power of writing. It really does bring people together in a positive way, especially for such a solitary endeavor. :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. I also like the way it feels when an idea hits me, that surge of adrenaline that says "that's it. I know what I want to say." And I like having written, feeling that I finally nailed it when reading back a passage or a page, that I made that scene or person come to life.

    ReplyDelete