Purpose: To share and encourage.
Writers can express doubts and concerns without fear of appearing
foolish or weak. Those who have been through the fire can offer
assistance and guidance. It’s a safe haven for insecure writers of all
kinds!
Each we announce a question that
members can answer in their IWSG post. These questions may prompt you
to share advice, insight, a personal experience or story. Include your
answer to the question in your IWSG post or let it inspire your post if
you are struggling with something to say.
The question is optional!
January 8 question - What started you on your writing journey? Was it a particular book, movie, story, or series? Was it a teacher/coach/spouse/friend/parent? Did you just "know" suddenly you wanted to write?
The question is optional!
January 8 question - What started you on your writing journey? Was it a particular book, movie, story, or series? Was it a teacher/coach/spouse/friend/parent? Did you just "know" suddenly you wanted to write?
The awesome co-hosts for the The awesome co-hosts for the January 8 posting of the IWSG are T. Powell Coltrin, Victoria Marie Lees, Stephen Tremp, Renee Scattergood, and J.H. Moncrieff!
My grandfather was a writer, so maybe it was destiny (or DNA) all along, but at any rate, I started telling stories as a kid to my sister when we were in bed at night. I'd offer three titles, she'd pick one, and I'd make up a story on the spot. The first story I remember writing down (with pen and paper, mind you) was called Happy Birthday, Cathy, in which a girl celebrates her birthday at an amusement park and foolishly stands up on the Ferris Wheel and...yup, dies. Mama's last words, sobbed in anguish: "Happy Birthday, Cathy." I think I was around 10 or 11 when I wrote it, and I have no idea why I wrote such a tragic story! By 9th grade I was regularly writing short stories in notebooks, some of which I still have. I should also mention that I had some great teachers who encouraged me (Mr. Wallace, Mr. Elliott, and Mr. Bouchard) and a great friend (Mary) I used to write with (in person if you can imagine such a thing, lol) almost weekly. I'm not sure if I "knew" I wanted to write, I just started doing it and never stopped. And that's where it all began.
How did your journey begin?
In other news, I will now report the dismal tally of books read in 2019
1. All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr*
2. Spare and Found Parts by Sarah Maria Griffin
3. The Rule of One by Ashley and Leslie Saunders
3. The Rule of One by Ashley and Leslie Saunders
4. Tell the Machine Goodnight by Katie Williams
5. A Symphony of Echoes – Jodi Taylor Chronicles of St. Mary's*
6. A Second Chance – Jodi Taylor Chronicles of St. Mary's*
7. Grimm Legacy by Polly Shulman*
8. The DaVinci Code by Dan Brown
9. Cut and Run by Mary Burton
10. Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neall Hurston*
11. Library of Souls by Ransom Riggs*
12. Ancillary Justice by Anne Lecke*
13. Ancillary Sword by Anne Lecke*
14. Ancillary Mercy by Anne Lecke*
15. The Light between Worlds by Laura E. Weymouth
16. Cold Waters by Debbie Herbert
17. Cress by Marissa Meyers*
18. Winter by Marissa Meyers*
19. All Systems Red: Murderbot Diaries by Martha Wells*
20. In the Dark by Loreth Anne White
21. The Lying Game by
Ruth Ware
* means I really liked the book and recommend it.
I'm still currently reading The Grace of Kings by Ken Liu (the story is good but I don't love any of the characters *sigh*), The First Salute by Barbara Tuchman (American history, a bit dry but also witty) and A memory Called Empire by Arkady Martine. I'm enjoying the last the most even though I started it after the other two. Finally, I'm looking forward to reading The Ten Thousand Doors to January by Alix E. Harrow, which I got for Christmas.
Oh, and I say dismal because that's barely two books a month and one less book than I read last year. On the other hand if I can finish the three books I've got going I'll be ahead of the game, or at least, ahead of my last year's game. Anyway, those are the stats, sad as they are.
Last but not least, I am querying so cross your fingers and toes for me!
OMG if you think THOSE are sad and dismal annual book reading stats, check out MINE on my blog post today! *hides face in shame*
ReplyDeleteThank you, I feel better now :)
DeleteThat was a dark story for someone so young!
ReplyDeleteDon't worry, my reading for last year looks worse.
I honestly don't know where I came with that one.
ReplyDeleteI had a dismal reading year, too. Hoping to do better this year, though.
ReplyDeleteBest of luck with your querying adventure. My fingers are crossed!
Thank you!
DeleteSo, did your sister have nightmares? LOL. I think you were destined to be a writer. Nice that it runs in the family.
ReplyDeleteThankfully no nightmares, lol.
DeleteConsidering the meatiness of the books on your list, I'd say you're quite the impressive reader. I tried to get through Barbara Tuchman's A Distant Mirror but never finished it. I wish you happy reading and writing in 2020.
ReplyDeleteI loved A Distant Mirror, though it definitely took a while to read it.
DeleteFingers crossed for you!
ReplyDeleteI think kids are just naturally morbid. I know I was. Maybe it's because death is the worst thing we can think of, and we're fascinated by it. My first pubbed story (in the local paper) was about a vampire who devoured everyone, and in my first teenage attempt at a novel, the book starts with the protagonist killing himself because all his friends have died. Cheery.
You've got some great books on that list. Better quality than quantity, I say!
Welcome to the IWSG.
Glad to know I'm not alone in writing dreary tales as a kid!
DeleteThat's really cool that your grandfather wrote too. That was a dark story for a first one.
ReplyDeleteLoved seeing what you read last year. I read a lot, but not as much as I used to.
My grandfather wrote The Curious Lobster, which caused my father to never eat one!
DeleteGood luck with your querying. And reading. I am also glad to see that someone else has more than one book 'on the go' at once. I always do and my partner tells me it is weird.
ReplyDeleteTechnically I have three...
DeleteIt's interesting that you read mostly female writers, if not only :)
ReplyDeleteI didn't notice until you pointed it out.
DeleteDo you know how many people haven't cracked a book since they graduated high school? 21 books is nothing to sneeze at for last year. It might not be your best showing, but it's totally reasonable.
ReplyDeleteYes, I know some people who don't read *gasp* at all. Which is just beyond comprehension.
DeleteFingers and toes crossed. I've read a lot this past year. Probably averaged two books per week but I didn't write as much as I intended. Cool that you still have those early notebooks of stories.
ReplyDeleteadmittedly, some of those old stories have grades on them and nice notes from my teachers.
DeleteYou read more books than most people did in 2019. I read over 200--though, to be honest, most of them were audiobooks. If not for those, I doubt I'd have gotten through even as many books as you did!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure I did but I'm a writer and I should read more than the average joe. I'd be happy with one book a week for a total of 52.
DeleteI love the idea of you making up stories on the spot for your sister. What fun!
ReplyDeleteWe both remember those times fondly though neither of us can remember a single story I told!
DeleteI probably shouldn't say this, but I love that ferris wheel story. :)
ReplyDeleteI try to front load my reading for the Goodreads Challenge every year. I'm a little ahead of my goal now, but Im pretty sure that won't last too long.
Good luck with the querying!
My sister and brother do too ;)
DeleteThere's just something about tragic stories when we're that age! So many of my students love them!
ReplyDeleteThat must be it. Because I sure don't write overly dramatic stories like that anymore. I hope.
DeleteI loved telling stories as a kid, too! There was so much comfort in creating a place that I could escape to. There's nothing wrong with the number of books you read last year. I say "Bravo!"
ReplyDeleteI know it's okay. The problem is there's so many books and only so much time!
DeleteDon't be ashamed of the books you read--there were some good ones in your list. While I read 49 this year--I know people who read 150! But most people only read a few, so we're all ahead of the game.
ReplyDeleteI never thought about writing for publication until I had finished two years of grad school and, during an internship, decided to retake freshman English--all of a sudden the idea of writing stories hit me, due to the instructor's encouragement. I only remember letters being written by my parents--mostly my mother even through my father had to do reports, it was always more technical in nature.
www.thepulpitandthepen.com
I'm not ashamed, but I should really read more. Make the time, you know?
DeleteThis comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDeleteYour reading list is fine. You chose some good books. What kind of writing did your grandfather do? Was he published?
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
My grandfather wrote The Curious Lobster Books, recently republished, for kids of all ages 1-100 :)
DeleteWhat a positive inspiration. Also, great list. I just have to say that 1) I love Murderbot! and 2) You need to finish the series. It just gets better after the first one!!! Now you're making me want to go reread some Murderbot. =D One of my fave SF series ever. Hope 2020 goes great for you! Thank you for visiting my blog and commenting.
ReplyDeleteI very much want to read more Murderbot! Just started City of Bones by the same author.
DeleteYou read way more than I did, for sure. ~shakes head~ I got into fiction writing (for pure pleasure) after finding old journals. The entries transported me, so I started scribbling in notebooks later that year (2000?).
ReplyDeleteWhat an amazing first tale you wrote. And I'm glad you encountered so much encouragement. Happy Writing!
Wow, Marci. You certainly had a way with stories as a kid. You must have terrified you little sister. I wish I had read as many books this year as you had. I always seem to fall short in that department.
ReplyDeleteGood luck on querying! All the best for 2020!
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