A good friend and author is compiling a blog piece about why people write and I gave my 2 cents worth. Then I thought about it last night and realized I had much more to say so I thought I would share it with you. I have had a lot of challenges in my life. To say I’ve had more or less than someone else is not for me to judge. From my perspective, however, there were a lot of hurdles to overcome. It was difficult to cope with these problems especially as a teenager. One gift I had been blessed with was the ability to tell and write stories. The worse the situation became, the more I retreated into my mind and created my own fantasy tales. Soon one of them began to grow and grow. The short story became a long one and that became a novel. It became so long that I had to separate it into 2 novels. Here’s the place where I differ from so many different writers I talk to. I never intended the novel to be published. So why did I white it? As I said, it took my mind off my problems as I worked on it. When I would feel down I would read part of it and think, “This is something I created. No one else could have done this the same way I did.” Then I would feel really good about myself. After probably a dozen rewrites and about 25 years my mother came to me. She was my greatest supporter and used to sneak chapters of my book to her friends to read. I didn’t realize it at the time but her cancer had returned and this would be the last time I would see her alive. My mind starts to wonder what I would have said if I had known. Anyway, she told me my work was great and that I had to promise her I would have it published so others could share in my storytelling. I resisted at first. Getting published is no easy thing. But my mother was one hard woman to say no to. I agreed and she was very happy. We lost her soon after. I knew I had a promise to keep and so I found an agent and set her to work finding me a publisher. The whole process took 3 years but I now have 2 books published with a 3rd on the way. Now I look at the reviews on my books and even the negative ones usually have something good to say. Then I think, “I’ve written something that touched someone else’s life.” That’s pretty cool. So if you ask why I write, the answer is twofold. It started out as something I did totally for selfish reasons of feeling better about myself. Then it evolved into something I do for others as well so I can influence them. I am a member of an elite fraternity in which a single voice can talk to the masses. Does it get cooler than that?
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