Why Do Writers Write?
Okay, clearly I need to get better at this whole blogging thing. Since I haven’t posted since January 1st you may be wondering if:
A. I’m still alive. (I totally am, btw)
B. How the process is going with getting an agent. (More details below)
So sometimes in life we really want something, and for whatever reason it’s just not meant to be. It doesn’t look like an agent is happening for this particular book. I still have some applications out to a few agents, but as time ticks on it’s becoming apparent that I will in fact need to self-publish. Which is totally fine. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t disappointed. Every author that has been through the querying process will tell you… Rejection is all a part of it. That doesn’t make it sting any less, but that’s just the way it goes sometimes.
On a brighter note, self-publishing means that I am once again in the driver’s seat for this next book, and that means I get to decide on the release date! (Insert happy crying, confetti, and scared emojis here) The book has a title and more importantly, just yesterday, I received my amazing COVER! Y’all… It’s so cute. It was also designed by a dear friend and I absolutely cannot wait to show it to you. I also can’t wait to release the book, but there is still editing that needs to be done. The book just isn’t quite there yet, y’know? It’s okay. It will get there, and I can confidently say that it will be released this year!
So back to the main topic of this post, which is Why Do Writers Write? Short answer: It’s different for everyone. I’ll do my utmost to answer this question from my point-of-view, but if there are other authors out there reading this, I would love to hear your opinion as well! For me, I can’t not write. Does that make sense? Probably not. Let me explain. I’ve always had kind of a wild imagination. You know how some kids have imaginary friends when they are growing up? I had, like, a whole team of people. A crew, if you will. When I played with my Barbie’s, they had storylines. Long, drawn out, complicated, character arcs that transcended years of drama, laughter, revenge, and reconciliation. Was I dramatic? Sure. But that’s what made it so much fun.
Books were a huge part of my life starting at a young age. I loved reading, so it was only natural as I grew that I tried writing my own stories. I still have the novel I wrote when I was eighteen, a YA sci-fi romance, that will probably never see the light of day because it needs so much work. But every story has evolved, and led me to where I am today. Am I perfect? Heck no. Do I love it? Umm… Most days, if I’m honest. Writing is frustrating, difficult, soul-crushing, but also satisfying, magical, and breathtaking at the same time. It’s not easy to create something from nothing, but it can be extremely rewarding. If my writing can make someone laugh, smile, cry - or just feel something - then I feel like I did my job. I hope you have something in your life that you enjoy doing as well, and if you don’t - you are never too old to try something new.
Take care, and until next time -
Mary
