“If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot.” ~ Stephen King
Sunday I wrote a post sharing about the many Hometown Book Parties or Events I’ve enjoyed throwing for my reading friends here in my town over the years. I tried to find some pictures of the gatherings,. Found some. Didn’t find some. I always forget to take pictures until most everyone has already gone out the door, but now and again, one of my families is along and takes a few pictures.
No pictures for the last three years after COVID. That means I didn’t get to celebrate An Appalachian Summer, Along a Storied Trail or When the Meadow Blooms. That lack of book parties is coming to a halt this Saturday, July 22, 2023 as I celebrate my newest novel, In the Shadow of the River. I’ll have fun celebrating those that got skipped over in the last few years too.
On last Sunday’s post, I asked what you might like to hear a writer talk about, and a couple of you suggested some things you might enjoy hearing a writer talk about should you actually decide to show up for his or her event. And Suzanne and Sarah suggested some things they might like to hear a writer talk about.
So, since it’s blog writing time, I saved those suggestions and hope to share about them here unless you all tell me you’re yawning and falling to sleep. Then I’ll try to move on to something more fun.
Sarah said that if she was listening to a writer talk, she would like to know who inspired them to become a writer. That’s something I like to know too when I hear other writers talk. So here’s my answer that isn’t very dramatic with no name dropping of people who inspired me to pick up pen.
I grew up on a farm in Kentucky. I didn’t know any writers except through their words in the books I loved to read as soon as I learned how. I come from a reading family. My grandfather and grandmother on my mother’s side loved reading. My grandfather, who I barely remember since I was very young when he died, was even in a book club back in the 1940’s or earlier where he got a new book every month. They were small red books that I’m sure he sat down and read as soon as he got them in the mail. My grandmother said some of her happiest times were when the two of them were reading and perhaps sharing about the stories they read. They passed their love of reading on to my mother and her sisters.
My dad and his sister both kept lists of the books they read when they were kids. My sisters and I got the love of reading from all of these readers in our family. But none of them wrote stories. None of them encouraged me to write stories, but at about the age of ten, I decided I would like to solve a mystery the way the Hardy Boys did in the mysteries I was reading. I got a wirebound notebook and an inkpen and for the very first time wrote those beginning words “Chapter One.” And somehow the words kept coming.
Since then, I have written those words to begin a new book many, many times as I’ve set off down this or that story road. In the Shadow of the River is my 38th published book, but I’ve written more than that. Some turned out to be practice novels and never found a publisher. At least not yet. A writer can be hopeful.
That doesn’t really answer Sarah’s question of who inspired me to write. I suppose in my case it was more what inspired me to write. And that would be books. All those books I read. All those stories I wanted to share. The desire to write down words one after another to share a story came from somewhere deep inside me. It was there when I was a kid and it’s still there now all these years later. I think the Lord put the want to in me to write stories.
Thanks for your question, Sarah. Maybe I can talk about that on Saturday at my Hometown Book Party. The picture up top is of my first typewriter. When I got it at maybe age 12 or 13, I thought I was finally a “real” writer.
Have you ever written a story or wanted to?
Comments 9
Thanks for sharing your experience. I think you were born to write. Keep on writing your books — so enjoy.
I am an avid reader. I always wanted to write but did not know where to start. I am an everyday person. I tried to write some verses for cards but was not successful, and eventually got away from trying. It wasn’t meant to be.
Nevertheless, I love reading and when I retired, I started keeping two journals which I so enjoy — one with the author’s name, title of book, and date read. The second journal is a collection of thought-provoking statements I found or sentences that touched my heart that was enlightening, and/or made me say, what or why, and in some instances, I laughed outright. Thanks for reading my comments.
I enjoyed writing a story when one was assigned for school work way back in my younger days. I never tried to write one as an adult, the words will not come easily, I would much rather read someone else’s stories.
Author
The words don’t always come easy for sure, Connie. At least for me. Other writers sometimes speak about how many words they can write in a week and how fast they write books. I can write blog words pretty fast. I’m slower with the stories I write for books.
Telling of your Grandfathers book club, mine was also in a book club and I still have a couple of them, one the World Atlas it is really old. I also write in a note book all the books I have read, so far this year I have read 67 books, but never had the drive to write one. So you do the writing and I will read them, and thanks for such good ones.
Author
Love readers like you, Donna Jean. And I’m always admire those of you who can keep a list of the books you read. I tried a few times and kept forgetting to add the books I was reading.
And wow! 67 books already this year. May I repeat. Authors love readers like you.
I have wanted to write a book though I admit that desire sprouts after reading a book that does me good or listening to a story on NPR. Unfortunately I only begin with the title and the inspiration stops. Maybe I have ADHD because I’m off and running to do something else within a second of having the thought. In fact, I’m usually in the midst of a meditative activity like yard work when the title comes to me. That feeling of being pulled into a world where the entrance door has a sign that says Imagination and not Ladies Restroom is so exciting but then a weed distracts me and another weed pops up.
Author
But at least you have the fun of coming up with the ideas, Karen. Having a title can be a good start on inspiration. I have to admit that sometimes the title is the last thing I come up with when I’m working on a book. Of course, the title often changes before the book is published as the publishers and I do brainstorming to come up with the best titles or what we hope will be best titles.
I love your description of the entrance into the world of ideas and Imagination. And distractions can definitely be like weeds popping up to choke out the creative drive.
I’ve written short stories, but never anything published. Often wondered how to go about that process. I mostly read a lot … have fun finding the errors that get missed.
Author
I hope you enjoyed the writing process, Cindy Sue. That can be good whether the stories get published or not. There isn’t as much market for short stories as there once was years ago, but some people do self publishing of short pieces on Amazon. Or maybe if you write more stories, you could publish a collection on Amazon.
So you like catching errors writers, editors and proofers miss. Could be you might enjoy being a proofreader. I cringe when I see an error missed and that made it into print in my stories. But it happens.