Thursday, April 17, 2008
Prolific Benefits
I started writing by
Writing has changed my life. I’m not the same person I was three years ago. I’m more confident, not only as a writer, but as a person. Discovering I could write was like polishing a diamond in the rough. With every word I write, I learn more. Every day I write I am a little more improved than the day before. I’ll admit, before I started writing, I didn’t use my brain to create anything. The only creative aspect of my life involved gardening. Writing opened up a new world for me, it allowed me to express myself, and at the time, I was starving for an outlet.
Writing empowers me. It makes me believe that I can do something beyond my day job; it serves as my light at the end of the tunnel.
More often times than not my writing relieves stress. I can vent frustration, sexual tension, and sadness through my characters. Writing serves as therapy for my soul.
Writing also opens new doors for me. I’ve met other writers, and made many lifetime friends. I’ve found critique and blog partners, and learned more than I ever thought possible about the kind of writer I can be with hard work and determination.
Writing gives me something to call my own. It’s a source of pleasure for me that I create without any help from an outside source. It’s a solo act, in which I direct, write and star.
In my day career I depend on a department director to hand down my orders, when I slip into my desk chair at home I am the CEO in charge. I make and execute the rules, and most of the time I do so in my pajamas.
Writing makes me more aware as a reader. I appreciate books more. My taste in reading has changed since I’ve become a writer. Some authors I appreciate even more and some I see in a whole new light. I remember the first book I read after I started writing. I dissected it like a pig in an anatomy class. Reading is one of the most beneficial resources I have as a writer.
I view the world through a writer’s eyes. I look at everyday life as a potential for a scene in a story. I listen to conversations. I watch people and their gestures, emotions, and reactions. I file observations of fashion, hairstyles, and automobiles in a mental file for later reference. The check out girl at Wal-Mart may be the next great heroine in my WIP.
So maybe I’m grasping for straws, but its Friday, so go with it.
How has writing enhanced your life?
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27 comments:
Writing has given me a focus. I need focus. I need a hobby that can harness and hone the my creative abilities. I need to do something creative, it is who I am. And it's enhanced my life by introducing me to a ton of great writers and readers all around the world... but then that has more to do with the internet age than with being a writer... hmmmm... maybe that's the bonus of being a writer in this day and age?
You make a great point Tiffany. Internet has changed so many things in this world. I would love to hear from a writer that experienced writing pre and post internet, and how it impacted their process.
What Tiff said. *g*
And writing has even helped me lose weight. When I'm on a roll, I don't even stop to eat. I need to get on a roll more often.
Maggie I hear you. When I first started writing I lost ten pounds. I've discovered I can take snacks to my desk and eat a handful every now and then, Bummer.
Great Blog Lisa!
I think I'm in the boat with Tiff too. I am a pretty abstract random learner trapped in a concrete sequential body.
http://web.cortland.edu/andersmd/learning/Gregorc.htm
My writing gives me a way of stretching my mental and creative muscles.
I smile more. I have a harder time reading a book without analyzing or critiqueing (sp?) it, and I have a new extended family across the web. I have more books on my TBR pile than I ever had pre-writing but I read less. I have voices in my head that either weren't there before or were hiding and I'm travelling with writing as my excuse. All in all, I'd say I'm happier and better off even if it came with a whole new set of stressers.
Marnee thanks for the link, very interesting:)
Terrio- I love to travel, so having an excuse because of writing is a great advantage. I agree, writing brings on new stressors, but they don't whack me out as bad as other life stressors. I find the older I get, the less I sweat small stuff.
I started writing in high school. Little random stories for my friends to read, but then life got in the way, and growing up seemed to take alot more of my time and energy. This went on for years.
It wasn't until I was post-partum that I started writing again. Writing empowered me to build my own world, have my characters do whatever crazy thing pops up in my head, experience emotions that I want them to, have all the great sex I can't seem to remember having.....a far cry from my reality then when I was at the beck and call of a 8lb. 10 oz human.
Five years later I'm still at it. It may sound weird, but when I'm plopped down with my laptop or my trusty notebook(don't laugh Sin)I am at my calmest. I get excited too, because I don't know where my characters are going to take me. It's the best hobby I ever had.
Great question, Lisa!
Like the others it's given me a creative outlet, but more than that it's given me creative self-esteem - if that makes sense. I've always been a little in awe of all those superwomen who do it all - work (outside the home), cook like Emeril, bake like Betty Crocker, sew, knit, scrapbook, make their kid's halloween costumes, bake their kid's birthday cakes and decorate them like they were Martha Stewart. Don't get me wrong, I have no real desire to do much of that stuff and I do make the token effort when called upon. My kid's don't go hungry, or cold, or end up with a white sheet filled with too many holes a la Charlie Brown for Halloween, and in our house we get the extra special treat of going to our local grocery store and picking out our very own special birthday cake and watching the nice lady behind the counter write our name on it (see I've learned to work it!). But still and all it can be sort of a downer to think you have no creative juices whatsoever flowing through your veins. That's where my writing comes in! It fills that void in me and make my little insecure creative brain smile!
Tiff- I feel the same way. When I stumbled into writing it gave me a hobby. Albeit, I hid that hobby as long as I could, and now it's something I make time for. It's not like my scrapbooking, or crocheting, or sewing or half a million other things I used to enjoy before I found writing. There is something about writing that let's me be free even when I'm indoors.
Gei- Dude. I still use the notebook. The notebook is sacred.
Maggie, I'm the complete opposite. If I'm sitting and writing, I'm munching on something. I need to learn the Maggie Zen trick of not eating while writing. You need to teach a class.
PS. Lis- I read that last line about the check out girl, and I thought you said you "check" them out.
Not that I'd doubt that from you.
Irish - for the record, for many years in my youth I wore a white sheet with holes cut out for Halloween. LOL! And I turned out ok. :)
The most creative I get with the Kiddo is when she needed a bag to take her lunch in this morning (field trip!) so I took a little bag with handles I got from one of those boutique type stores. I lined the bottom with tin foil so the cold stuff wouldn't destroy the paper by the time she got to eat the stuff.
I guess for me being resourceful is my creative outlet. LOL!
What a great question. I can honestly say I've never thought about it. I've written since I was a child. But now that I do think about it I can see that during the times of my life that I wasn't writing I was sad. I guess what I'm saying is that in order to keep my equilibrium in wack I need to write.lol.
Sin- Just for the recoed...I have checked out a few check out guys but never any girls:)
Irish- A Martha Stewart mom I will never be! I'm with you, when I discovered writing I was so happy. My brain did the Cha-Cha.
Kelly-Writing keeps me sane, so I totally see where you're coming from:)
Geisha- I feel the same way, writing is one of the best things to happen to me since my son was born:)
I have always written, and I can't imagine not writing. Defining myself as a journalist, a poet, a critic has been an essential part of my identity for most of my life. But admitting that I want to write romance fiction and sharing my efforts with other intelligent readers and aspiring writers who love the genre has been liberating and invigorating--and great fun too. The friendships are enriching in untold ways, and while, unlike Maggie, I haven't found this writing is making me smaller, it is making me feel much younger. :)
Janga- I've never thought about writng making me feel younger, but you're absolutely right.
I've always written; and I've always written stories with heroines I wanted to be more like: adventurous, courageous, witty, and glamorous (everything I'm not). I think I also write in a sense of sending it out the Universe what I want--hang in there in case you think I've inhaled too much crack again. You know how you should send out to the Universe what you want, what you need--and if you believe it, it will come true?
If I didn't write, I wouldn't believe in happy endings, I think. If I write them, they are true; and they can eventually be true for me. And Happy Endings aren't always about Cinderella getting the Prince. There are the Marsha Moyer happy endings; and...well...there are different types. Characters grow into their happy endings--and learning (the hard way, I guess) how to grow into my own happy ending.
Cheap therapy.
I've also found writing is making me a sort of pseudo-teacher, which I think is WEIRD. Since 1) I don't think I know enough about writing to teach anything; and 2) God forbid my father get his wish. (He must be writing stuff out to the Universe or something.)
Hellion-You are witty and a great teacher. You've forgotten more about writing than I will ever know.
You will get your happy ending.
I come from a family and outside relatives that's not creative at all. I've always been the odd duck out. I think my family was always mystified about me wanting to act and write--they didn't know what to make out it and still don't frankly. They work in absolutes and clear objectives. Nothing wrong with that but that's not me.
So, for the longest time I thought that I'd always be alone on this journey to writing and as the years passed, I had dreams about writing but wasn't doing it.
Then, I joined the former EJ board (before EJ joined forces with JQ)... and that event was a lifechanging event.
Because not only did I find people who loved romances as much as I did and talked about books, but I also found people who wrote and loved the art of writing. I found people who when they read my drabbles or fanfics or when I started posting blurbs of stories weren't like WTF are you doing you silly thing but instead prodded me to write more.
I met two of my CPs through the EJ/JQ board and countless writer friends whom I harrass into reading my stuff (nod to Hellion). But frankly, if I hadn't joined the EJ/JQ board and had the natural progression that I did, I don't know if I'd be in the place I am today.
Writing is who I am, but without the constant support and love from my online friends, who are in the business and have the same goals and dreams as I do, the uphill battle to becoming published becomes a lot harder to traverse.
I can't tell you how many times when I received bad comments for judges or rejections that my CPs and others have buoyed my spirits up and realize that I am a writer and one day (hopefully sooner as opposed to later), I'll be a published one.
Goddammit Lisa, you write blogs that make me think. And like Lefou sings in Beauty and the Beast: Thinking is a dangerous thing. LOL
I think that's one of the side benefits of writing. I wasn't witty. (I guess: WHO IS? right) but I literally didn't talk from Kindergarten to 4th or 5th grade. All my reports say: Hellion doesn't talk here. I would have probably been labeled autistic if I was going through school now. *sighs*
I was sarcastic as a teen (who isn't), but not particularly witty; and most of the time I couldn't think of a come back. I love that about writing--you can always have a comeback if you want because you can write it a few dozen times to get it perfect!
But writing has made me more off-the-cuff wittier. I actually have said things SNAP and gotten everyone around me to laugh, not just in my books. That's fun; that's a payoff for someone who was so introverted and painfully shy. Now if I'm laughed at, it's because I did it on purpose. (Mostly. *grins*)
Unfortunately it doesn't allow me much for thinking before I speak. In one of my English classes in college, our college professor (probably in his upper 40s/mid 50s) said, being witty, "Only two things happene to Romantics: they die young or grow old and bitter."
To which I quipped: "Is that what happened to you?" (Now mind you: you couldn't get me to participate in class discussion and I was a CLASS NERD of notetaking, but apparently thought nothing of insulting my professor.)
Uuuhhh… how has writing enhanced my life?
I can’t say that it’s made me better typists. Or a better speller. Or more precise with my grammatical applications. I cannot say that I have become more creative. Because all this “writing” has made me realize that I don’t have any fiction… that’s fiction Not Friction… in me. So I’m not a better story-maker-upper.
However
Writing has helped me hone my written communication skills. It has helped me sharpen my speaking skills. And writing has really, Really made me think. More than anything… writing makes me Think.
A lot.
I have recalled many stories… events from the past that I had forgotten.
Stories that remind me of how far I have come.
Stories that make me realize how far I have to go.
Oh
And Writing allows me to give a lotta people a hard time without ever leaving my chair!
Not that I’d EVER tease anyone, or give em a hard time, or … anything…
But yeah!
Writing is GREAT!
Ely-Thinking on a Friday is a dangerous thing for me. I'll keep that in mind, and next week I'll blog about how sniffing highlighters assists me with character development:) Crit partners are invaluable, and they can always add to your story what you can't see from your vantage point.
Hellion-I love it. You pegged it right. Writing comeback lines are so rewarding when you can ponder and make them just right. I love your comment to the professor!
I was a funny child, I think it comes from years of entertaining myself when I had no one to play with. Some days I can bang out the comebacks, others not so much.
Did you see that? Janga called me An Intelligent Reader!
And
Elyssa? Writing is supposed to help me set Goals?
GOALS?
Well… that explains a few things…
Like why I’ll Never be A Writer! LOL
Julie- Writing is fun. You create a whole world from a desk chair, or the comfort of your couch. It puts a whole new spin on the meaning of couch potato:)I'm not a slacker honey....I'm writing:)
I've definitely grown more confident as a person. I've always been shy and reserved, since I started writing, I tend to speak my mind a little more. Not sure if that is a good thing though. ;)
I'm a people watcher, always looking for characteristics to add to my story.
In all honesty, writing has allowed each of my personalities to bloom and flourish, whether it's the cursing kick butt bar room brawler in me or the pious nun.
Renee
The internet has changed my life period. Before the computer I was groundless and did not have a clear path in life. My writing was there but, I did not have the passion to publish like I do now. Because of the Eloisa board I have been blogging, writing articles, joining groups such as Myspace, facebook, etc, anything to get people to notice me.
Before that I hated conversing and would avoid it like the plague, perferrring to read or watch tv. Now watching tv is cut out in the morning and afternoon. I mostly write or chat with my friends.
You guys have been the best buddies I could ever have. Even though you're all too busy writing!
Anywho, I had best be finishing, Before I write too much.
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