Why I Write

 

Well, it’s that time again! Time for the TCWT blog chain. This month’s prompt seems pretty simple, but it’s… not. However, it’s definitely a topic I’ve been meaning to talk about, so I’m glad I have the chance to. So, the prompt:

“Why do you write?”

Um…

Um…

Um…

Um…

I’ve sat here for the past hour, trying to come up with a coherent an answer. Or any answer, really–coherent or not. And I’ve come with nothing. Yeah, I wish I were kidding.

I’m trying to find a sensible way to approach this without screaming “I HAVE NO IDEA!!!!” which, to be perfectly honest, is what I’m thinking right about now. You see, my reason for writing is not really clear for me. My parents aren’t authors.  I’m not the son of some English teacher. I’ve never had an author I know in real life mentor and inspire me to write. I just, well–I just picked it up one day, I guess.

But since this is a question of “why,” let’s start simple to find an answer:

I have ideas. I have whims. I like to create things.

 It’s a simple chain of events, really. I have ideas–both good and bad, though bad is much more prevalent–and I follow them. I have whims, and I follow them. (Hey, a whim started this blog, you know.) I like to both create and try at these ideas and whims, despite the act that they usually fail. I have no idea why, I just do. I’m one of those “Wow, that’s cool. I want to do that!” kind of people. For example, I almost started a book meme last week. Yeah…

I guess this translates to my passion for writing. I love being able to freely pursue my whims, express my ideas, and create anything I can imagine without any repercussions (except insanity, of course…). It’s like governing my own city, running my own country, creating–molding–my own people. It may seem dumb, and it may in fact be dumb, but that doesn’t change the fact that I love it.

Plus, I’ve always loved to read. Then again, I don’t know any writer who doesn’t love to read. So my point? I was inspired by those authors I loved and still do love. I loved the stories, the worlds that they were able to create. And a mixture of awe and envy inspired me to try the same. Writing gives me the chance to express myself, to pour out the many ideas that have overrun my mind.  I write because if I don’t, these voices in my head will find a way to kill me.

I’m not even joking.

I hate to make this awkward all of a sudden, but to me, writing a book is like raising a child. I obviously don’t know what it’s like to raise a child, but I’m aware of the pride that parents have of their children and the enjoyment of raising one–although it may not always be so enjoyable, of course (*wink, wink, nudge, nudge*). Nevertheless, in the end raising a child is a life-changing journey. And to me, my novels are my children, on a much less grand scale. I create them from scratch, then raise them, and then put them through draft after draft until they’re ready to see the light of the world, if ever. I can shape them as I please, express and weave my ideas into them, create and control my characters however I want, etc. and know that’s its all my doing. My characters. My plot.

My writing. 

Of course, writing a novel is not an easy journey. At times all I want to do is curl up in the corner and die, regretting “wasting my time on such a useless thing.” But in the end, I look at my finished product and think: “yeah, I made that.”

Something about that feeling, whether the novel gets published or not, is… Amazing. Surreal. Beautiful. Like raising a child, just minus some.

I write because I love it. Because I’m addicted. Because I can’t just NOT write.

So, this is my simple solution.

I do write.

(Disclaimer: If we’re to continue this writing a novel is raising a child metaphor, the fact that I’m fine with doing major revisions of a novel, cutting numerous scenes, etc. does not equate to me, if I were a parent, tearing the head off my child. ‘Cause, you know, that would be cruel and all…)

So to all of you writers out there, why do you write?

Want to follow our blog chain? Here are the participating parties, day by day:

May 5–http://towerofplot.blogspot.com–The Leaning Tower of Plot

May 6–http://correctingpenswelcome.wordpress.com–Comfy Sweaters, Writing and Fish

May 7–http://cassidymarierizzo.wordpress.com–Cassidy Marie Rizzo

May 8–http://insideliamsbrain.wordpress.com–This Page Intentionally Left Blank

May 9–http://weirdalocity.wordpress.com–You Didn’t Really Need To Know This…

May 10–http://inklinedwriters.blogspot.com–Inklined

May 11–http://thewordasylum.wordpress.com–The Word Asylum

May 12–http://lilyjenness.blogspot.com–Lily’s Notes In The Margins

May 13–http://laughablog.wordpress.com–The Zebra Clan

May 14–http://planetaryelastic.blogspot.com–Tangential Bemusings

May 15–http://realityisimaginary.blogspot.com–Reality Is Imaginary

May 16–http://otherrandomthings.wordpress.com–Dragons, Unicorns And Other Random Things

May 17–http://lonelyrecluse.wordpress.com–The Lonely Recluse

May 18–http://delorfinde.wordpress.com–A Farewell To Sanity

May 19–http://incessantdroningofaboredwriter.wordpress.com–The Incessant Droning Of A Bored Writer

May 20–http://allegradavis.wordpress.com–All I Need Is A Keyboard

May 21–http://teenscanwritetoo.wordpress.com–Teens Can Write Too! (We will be announcing the topic for next month’s chain)

 

*Also, a quick note: Miriam, who was supposed to post today (May 18th), informed me that she was bogged down and wanted to swap so look for her post tomorrow (May 19th) instead.*

 

An Interview With My Protagonist: Meet Ever-So-Charming Alex Tanner

**This post is part of the March TCWT blog chain***

This month’s prompt is:

Choose your favorite of any of your own characters. Conduct a ten question interview with him or her.

There’s only one character I had in mind for this prompt from the start–my MC, Alex Tanner, in the YA thriller I’m currently editing. He’s, well, how to put this?–your typical fifteen-year-old boy. A real charmer, might I add. It might be hard for me to capture his personality in this short interview, but I’ll try! So, without further ado, let’s meet Alex.

So Alex. First off, thank you for coming.

Like I had a choice. You hand-cuffed me to this freaking chair.

Because you were trying to bite my hand! What are you, four years old? Anyway, what do you dislike most about the world?

People. Especially when they tie me to chairs and force me to answer pointless questions.

Oh, grow up. Next question: how would you like to die?

What? Is that what you plan to do next? Kill me? Dude, what did I ever do to you?

But since I know we’ll get nowhere if I don’t respond: I’d like to die valiantly, preferably if Tanya is ever captured I’d jump in front of a bullet and save her life. Then I’d be a hero.

Ah, yes. So tell us about this Tanya chic. Don’t you have a cute little crush on her?

Oh, shut up. It’s hardly relevant. But yes, we do have a thing for each other.

Really? That’s not exactly how I remember it–in fact, last time I checked, you made a fool of yourself by Christmas caroling with your parents in front of her. And she laughed. In your face. But sure, if you say she has a thing for you… Can you explain it to me?

No. Next question, please.

Fine. What’s your main goal in life?

Not to turn out like my parents.

Okay, then… What’s the worst thing that has happened to you in the last week?

Let’s see, my parents were kidnapped, the girl of my dreams tried to kill me, and some organization I don’t even understand wanted to recruit me for an operation, and also happened to threaten me with my life when I didn’t agree.

Oh, and then this interview.

And no, I will not elaborate.

Sounds like a fun week. What do you hate most about being a character in a book?

Being a character in a book.

Insightful, as always. What if I told you this interview was over?

I would kick you, take off my hand-cuffs which I’ve already unlocked and run screaming out of the building, never to return again.

Charming. But you may proceed. Thank you for coming. Alex.

…And that would be Alex. I promise, he’s much more interesting and likable in the actual book, but it’s hard to show personality in a restricting 10 questions interview. Hope you enjoyed! Let me know what you thought!

Books To Throw Across The Room

It’s that time again. Time for the monthly Teens Can Write Too! blog chain. This month’s topic is:

What are examples of books you’ve thrown across the room with force? Why did you throw them?

First off, the only book I have ever actually thrown across room was not as bad as it was disappointing. It was a  book I loved and couldn’t put down but was thrown because of an extremely annoying ending. I have one particular book in mind for this prompt, which has really irked me even months after reading it.

The Associate by John Grisham – Yes, this is the book I’m talking about and it’s okay to trash it because, well, it is John Grisham. But I really did love this book. From the start, it hooked me and kept me hooked all the way through. It was heart-stopping, exciting thrill-ride that I couldn’t put down. There were so many questions in the air, and I wanted – I needed – answers. I stayed up late one night to finish this book. The pages kept turning and the anticipated conclusion was near, along with the answers to my many questions. And then, suddenly, it ended. Just like that. No questions answered, so many mysteries left over. I’m still in shock. I stayed up so late that night, spent so much time avidly reading it, all for, well, nothing. There is no sequel. There are no pages torn out of my copy. That was the pitiful ending. So yes, I threw this across the room (it was only a paperback). I wanted to throw it out the window the next day, and nearly did. It has really gotten on my nerves and to this day I’m still wondering who Benny (the antagonist) is, who hired him, what happened to Kyle (the protagonist), why he needed to steal the files, etc. It was a huge disappointment and worthy of being thrown across the room.

The Giver by Lois Lowry – I won’t bother talking about this book because a lot of other’s in the blog chain already did, but this one came close to being thrown across the room. No, not because it was exciting and had a bad ending. I really didn’t like it at all, personally.

The Crucible by Arthur Miller – I realize a lot of people like this book/play. I didn’t. I had to read it for school and, simply, it was the most boring thing I have ever read. I didn’t care about the characters at all, the dialogue was really dull and the plot was nothing that really grabbed my attention. The ending, although gripping for some, really didn’t excite me at all beyond the joy of completing the book. I couldn’t throw this one across the room because we read it in school and that would just be inappropriate, but I so would’ve liked to.

Disclaimer: Remember that these are my opinions and mine only. For books like The Crucible, I don’t want to offend you if you enjoyed it, I’m just stating my poor experience with the book.

Participating Parties In Order

Want to follow our blog chain? Here are the participating parties, day by day:

January 5 – http://weirdalocity.wordpress.com/— From My Head

January 6 – http://correctingpenswelcome.wordpress.com — Comfy Sweaters, Writing and Fish

January 7 – http://laughablog.wordpress.com/ — Laugh A Blog

January 8– http://taystapeinc.wordpress.com — Tay’s Tape

January 9 – http://estherstar1996.wordpress.com — Esther Victoria1996

January 10– http://thewordasylum.wordpress.com — The Word Asylum

January 11– http://kirstenwrites.wordpress.com — Kirsten Writes!

January 12– http://delorfinde.wordpress.com — A Farewell to Sanity

January 13 – http://greatlakessocialist.wordpress.com — Red Herring Online

January 14– http://herestous.wordpress.com — Here’s To Us

January 15– http://incessantdroningofaboredwriter.wordpress.com– The Incessant Droning of a Bored Writer

January 16– http://teenscanwritetoo.wordpress.com –Teens Can Write Too! (We will be announcing the topic for next month’s chain)