Recently I’ve been reading (and re-reading) a few books on writing. I made an observation that I think warrants a little discussion. It seems that a lot of published authors knew that they wanted to be a writer from the time they were very young. Since this does not match my experience I have to wonder how much of an anomaly I am.
My Own Story
When I was growing up, I had nary an inkling of being a writer. It’s not a thing that I aspired to, let alone even consider. I didn’t spend hours dreaming up stories, I never had this burning fire to put my thoughts into words. In fact, here’s a little tidbit for you:
I hated English classes. I saw absolutely no point to the danged things. Subjects and predicates, sentences divided like math equations, lines all over the place. Yuk. Hey, I can read just fine and write well enough, leave me alone. As it turns out, the only class I ever received an “F” in was Basic Paragraphs. Boy, just like a teenager to know everything, eh?
Fast forward 15 years or so. I was working for a non-profit EMS agency. I was asked to write an article for the newsletter that was distributed on a state-wide basis. The article was for a medical device. Well, I just sat down and wrote an article. I didn’t freak out and frankly I didn’t give it too much thought. That is until it got published and sent out. Then the phone started ringing off the hook. Everyone from high level folks at the State office to companies around the country were calling to either give kudos or ask permission to reprint the article. To say the least I was blown away.
That article led to articles in the trade magazines, literary competition awards, textbook contracts and development of educational products. Wow. I loved it as well.
Then a funny thing happened. I just gave it up. I got wound up in running a business and I just let the writing go. And, I never did any writing for myself during that period. It was strictly business. I didn’t think I could write for myself.
I was out of the writing business for about a half dozen years or so before I realized that I missed writing and that I wanted to write as a career. Two years ago I did just that and I couldn’t be any happier. Well okay, I could be. All I need is an agent, a publishing house and a completed novel. That’s all.
So, this is my question for you. Are you one of those folks who knew that you would be a writer from the time you scribbled your first crayon on a wall? Was there a triggering event that pushed you in the write direction? Is it possible that the majority of published authors were destined to be a writer from a young age?
I’m very curious to hear your thoughts on this.
Thoughtful topic. I wrote and read as a child, read voraciously. In high school I hated the grammar part of English and it shows. But….
I journaled as an adult for over 15 years before trying my hand at ‘real’ stuff, thanks to Julia Cameron. And, I’ve always been considered good with words.
And now I “know” that writing is what I’m meant to do!
And, like you.. I need a completed story and an agent!
Walker´s last [type] ..Wednesday Words
Walker,
Journaling is one of the best ways to keep in touch with your writing vibe.
It’s great that writing is what you are meant to do. From what I’ve seen at your blog, I would have to agree.
George
Hi George! Yes, I am one of the guilty who was born pen in hand, looking for a sheet of paper, or a napkin, or anything – just to get those words out of my head!
Yay! Lisa I’m totally jealous. I’ve spent nearly 50 years trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up!
George
Hi George,
I enjoyed reading about you. You should write about you more often (maybe a memoir is in you, too? Pretty please?)
I find this topic, and your story, fascinating.
Me? Well, that’s a good question. I’ve kept a journal since 4th grade and have stacks and stacks of them–but never thought of myself as a writer. I diverted myself with a handful of careers over the years and did a lot of writing as a scientist. More recently I was hired as a full-time ‘science writer’ for a biotech company. I very much enjoyed that job and was the only time I’ve been paid to write. I think this experience “turned on the lights” for me.
I don’t think I ever considered the possibility that I could get paid to write until that job, and since then I call myself a writer. That said, I do think there is a triggering event for people, like you and me, that points our head in a direction we hadn’t thought of before.
Great topic, George!
Lori´s last [type] ..RAOKA- Wisdom
Hey Lori. Thanks and I bet your story is a beaut!
I think that a lot of our lives boil down to a triggering event if we are just paying attention. Interesting how being paid pushes us into our label. I know that is how it works for me.
Journaling for as long as you have, you have all the material for a great memoir. Get ‘er done!
Thanks for dropping by Lori. I love your comments and contributions here.
George
George,
I agree with Lori, and you should listen to her. I was fascinated by your story of how you came to be a writer, and I wanted to hear more!!
Give us more – give us more – give us more -
Can you hear fans chanting?
But, seriously, she’s right. When the post was over, I was bummed. I didn’t want it to end.
~ Milli
Milliver’s Travels´s last [type] ..Balm Beach Sunset
Hi Milli,
Sorry, your comment got caught up in the spam filter. I took the filter out back and laid the smackdown on it so it shouldn’t give us any more grief!
Thanks so much for your thoughts! Mayhap I’ll have to put together an extended version? Hehe.
George
Pingback: Tweets that mention The Age of Writing | George Angus, Tumblemoose Writer -- Topsy.com
Not at all. Although I didn’t like English in high school (or any other subject!) I loved it in college and wrote excellent papers, never giving a single thought to writing for myself. I’ve always been an avid reader though. In Jan ’09 I sat down and just started writing, consumed by a story in my head. I still don’t know why.
Laura Eno´s last [type] ..Survivor – FridayFlash
Laura,
Actually, I think it’s kinda cool that you don’t know why. It seems to not bother you one bit and I think that speaks towards your great attitude and maturity about this.
I know that I love you writing and so I’m seeing it as a gift bestowed upon you.
George
Hello George!
Ah, great post! Well, I always did well in high school English and was the king of sentence diagramming (yes, those grammatical organizational-looking charts of old) but I hated the only language available to me in my small-town high school — Latin. I was captivated by storytellers on TV like Rod Serling and Alfred Hitchcock.
In college I studied business letter writing and a lot of sales and marketing too, all geared to capturing people’s attention and getting them to “buy.”
I met my future wife there too. She was an English major.
It was then that we started to go to every independent and foreign film we could. Character-driven films. Films with real plots. Unusual settings, etc. And NO car chases or explosions! Hehe.
I always read for enjoyment. I especially loved the Greek classics. Poe, Hemmingway too. And the bawdy humor of Chaucer. But it always came back to the characters.
Now, as a professional short story writer with almost 75 stories under my belt, I can attest to the fact that those once-hateful Latin lessons of yore really gave me a firm foundation into the structure and derivation of words in the English language. Many young writers struggle today because they don’t have a firm grounding in the language nor do they know what proper grammar, pacing, and poetry is. So sad!
George, as for you, my young Scot, I believe you were primed for a writing career by the sheer force of life circumstances. Like you, and many other writers, I am “making my own movie” as we speak. We are blessed (maybe cursed?) by an imagination so vivid that if we didn’t write, our heads would explode! Ha!
I’ve always been a good listener, both in the everyday world and in the metaphysical one. I guess I see what others gloss over. I call myself an intellectual but my wife laughs at such hautiness. Still, I’m the wordsmith with the power of a puppetmeister. And she is the best audience in the world!
Cheers, Geo!
Wayne,
Funny how as were are growing up we often don’t realize the signs and lessons in front of us until later.
I love the idea of making my own movie. I know that from reading your words, you are the Cecil B. Demille of writing. Epic!
George
I didn’t think of becoming a writer until about five years ago even though I have been writing on and off since I was eleven years old. Being partially deaf, the English language was always a challenge to me so I struggled with grammar; not because I couldn’t grasp the concepts, but because I had a difficult time hearing what was being taught. So, I missed a lot of things. What I had growing up was a very active imagination and I enjoyed acting them out; naturally, I got in trouble numerous of times. My best friend in 5th grade issued a challenge on who could write the best story; I took it. The challenge opened a door for me to a whole new world (or worlds), and I haven’t looked back since. I considered myself a storyteller first, and then a writer since I am still learning (or shall I say, re-learning) grammar. I love to write even though it does not come easy for me. During my 20s, I gave up on writing. Life was hard and I had been hit with several tragedies and allowed my dreams to die, one by one. Then I met my second husband who before we were married gave me a gift; a writing journal. It was then I realized that the passion to write was still very much within me. I decided then I wanted to be a writer. I have a long ways to go still, but now I have dreams again and I feel very much alive doing what I love.
Carrie
Carrie,
I love your writing story. So much motivation there. It seems that life forces kept pushing you back to what you are destined to do. I think your’s would make a great memoir as well. I hope you are writing it all down!
George
I can’t say I was born with my writing utensil in hand but when I found about writing it turned out to be a great way to express myself. I’ve always had a very active imagination and writing is how I get that out. I can’t draw for crap (wish I could) so writing is how I express. Wow, that sounds so cliche.
As I hit my teenage years, along with all that angst, I started writing poetry. It was very free form but I learned how to get down what I was feeling in just a few words. The poetry thing went with me through some dark times I’d rather not get into. After that I just kind of stopped.
I always came up with ideas and stories (still do) but I just never did anything about it. I suppose I just got distracted by life or something.
I’m like you in that I decided to get back into writing in a more professional way and I’m glad I did. It felt good to get back into that “groove”.
I have loved blogging and the work I have done so far. Eventually I would like to start my own fictional novels as well but that will come with time.
As far as reading goes, I read quite a bit when I was a kid, but I picked up on it more as I have gotten older.
So, I guess what I’m getting at with all this that I didn’t realize it till later on but writing is just a convenient way to express myself. I guess there are probably other ways but writing just kind of comes more naturally.
With that said, cool story. It’s always great to hear about other people.
Christopher´s last [type] ..The Importance of Flexibility With Yourself
What a great blog post, and such interesting comments! Love it.
I start reading books in kindergarten, and think I wanted to write them before that!
I don’t remember when I started wanting to write….it was one of those things I always wanted to do but didn’t let myself try until I was an adult. I’ve been writing in my journals since I was eight — and just picked up again last night after an eight month hiatus.
Now, I wonder if I want to be a blogger, a book author, or a freelance writer. I want to be a blogger because I love building my own sites, writing what I want, and earning money. I want to be a book author to lend credibility to my Successful Writers blog. And, I want to be a freelance writer because magazine editors often help me improve my writing skills. And, researching articles is a great way to generate ideas and content for blog posts!
I think I need a business coach.
Thanks again for this post, George!
Laurie
The Adventurous Writer who is torn between adventures
Laurie Pawlik-Kienlen´s last [type] ..Writing Help – How to Write When You Think You Can’t
Hey Laurie,
Always good to see you here. I think you’ve managed to get this tiger by the tail! I’ve always enjoyed the posts on your site and the e-books you’ve done are no less than fantastic. However and whenever it is that you got started, it’s obvious that you’ve never looked back.
George