Writing

[lady_karelia]

To all who write, I'm curious. Why do you write? I'm genuinely curious, and I don't want anyone to draw ideas from others' comments, so I'm screening comments for a day or two. I just want a really honest opinion. And if you don't want your comment to be seen, say so, and I won't unscreen it. I'm just really curious.

Comments

[snapemylove.livejournal.com]

I write for many reasons. It started as an escape from unhappy circumstances. In my written fantasies, I could find the happiness and love I could not in RL. I also write to learn more about myself. Whether it be original, fanfiction, deep & thoughtful or pure smut, I learn something new about myself just by forcing myself through the thought processes. I also often find writing a form of relaxation. These are just a few of my reasons... but probably those that are most important to me and closest to my heart.

[hp1fan.livejournal.com]

I've been writing since I was three years old. I've always made up storys, have always had an active imagination. I need to write as much as I need to breath. It's just what I have always wanted to do. I would love it to be my career as it is a part of my life. It is a release of pent up emotion, a fun hobby and a way to stay sane. It is a mixture of so many things. It is simply something I have to do and love to do. =)

[southernwitch69.livejournal.com]

The first time I decided to write it was because I was angry with the ending of a story (a beloved character getting killed off and another bloke getting the girl). It gave me the inspiration to write my first novel (the one I'm editing now, still after twelve years). Anyway, that's what started. I've found that I adore writing. It's a great way to escape and to create things as we want them. I love it.

[corianderpie.livejournal.com]

Well, it's a new practice for me, but I write for myself. For my own pleasure, and to have something in a busy, other-oriented life that is just mine, that has no Greater Utility.

[lady-karelia.livejournal.com]

Not scary! :D I think we all, or most of us at least, reach the stage where we outgrow a fandom and devote more time to original works. And that's quite a natural progress, I think, because playing in another's universe does have its limitations.

[lady-karelia.livejournal.com]

it was because there weren't enough stories out there that I wanted to read so I wrote what I wanted to see.

That's totally true for me, too.

I love your blog posts, by the way, even though I'm terrible with commenting. But I do love the glimpses you give us into life on a different continent and all your adventures. :)

[lady-karelia.livejournal.com]

I agree about the hint from the universe! Funny, when I'm stuck with writing, the first thing I do is go for a drive or brisk walk. Then the characters tend to talk again, and when I get home, I can write again. :D

[lady-karelia.livejournal.com]

I'm fascinated by your take because you offer a different angle to producing words for effect, not just writing, but acting/speaking.

I write because I have to.

That rings very true for me as well.

[lady-karelia.livejournal.com]

Thank you for sharing, Mazzy! Using it as an escape--I think we all do that to a certain extent at least. I know I can get lost in thinking up scenes, and when I'm forced back into reality, it feels like returning from a different planet.

And if we all allowed our inner child to come out and play, the world would be a more peaceful place. :D

[lady-karelia.livejournal.com]

Not keeping it simple can be a good thing with writing, I think. And it's wonderful when the characters become real and decide where the story goes, isn't it? :D

[kingpig.livejournal.com]

I use writing just as I do reading; a means of escape from the mundane of daily life. Also, when I write Snape's character, it is more a form of catharsis – I give him a similar, if not more horrific, childhood to mine, and it's very therapeutic to allow him to vent and act out some of the frustrations and pain associated with abuse, and to give him someone to help him on the path of healing.

I also write as a means to connect with others, to bond with people I would have normally never met.

[lady-karelia.livejournal.com]

That's interesting. I'm still at the stage where I have to write, it's sort of like having to eat, and I never think about the consequences. O-fic, I think, is a long-term process. I know it's been for me. It started off with a vague idea, then a few months later morphed into something more concrete, but then took an entirely different route. I find it tremendously fun to create a world.

[lady-karelia.livejournal.com]

Thank you for sharing. I used to write as a child; as a teenager, I contributed to the high school magazine writing fairy tales, lol.

Writing slowly is not a bad thing I'd say. I used to find it fascinating how some writers can produce 4k in one evening whereas I feel highly accomplished if I write more than 500 words in a day. Then, of course, adminning taught me that often, the fast writers are the ones who take short-cuts with editing, and with many, it comes down to sloppiness. Writing slowly effectively means you think a lot about what you write, which generally shows in more complexity of the plot/characterisation and cleaner work, so I find that definitely positive. There is, maybe, one fast writer out of a hundred who can actually produce decent work. The majority cannot, and if they do, it shows. Of course, sloppiness with editing is my pet peeve, LOL.

[lady-karelia.livejournal.com]

I've never really thought about this aspect (the freedom writing allows me), but it rings very true now that I'm thinking about it.

I absolutely agree that it's addictive! ;)

[lady-karelia.livejournal.com]

I'm fascinated by all the various responses. :D

I totally agree on the feeling about the idea that wants to be written, and, oh, yes, addictive and all else you said; I totally agree with that!

[lady-karelia.livejournal.com]

Compulsion, that's very true. I can't imagine not to write. All the different responses fascinate me, and I'm astounded how many aspects ring true for me. :D

[lady-karelia.livejournal.com]

When I wrote the post, I initially thought of fiction, fanfic or otherwise, but it's quite refreshing to be reminded that other forms of writing exist, too. LOL :D

Thank you for sharing!

Faith, I think is overrated. I tend to see writing as a stream of consciousness happening. Once it's done, I can always go back and either make it better or delete.

[lady-karelia.livejournal.com]

That makes sense, too. I often find that I can communicate my emotions much better when I write it all down. I'm not much of a talker, lol.

[miamadwyn.livejournal.com]

I realized after I wrote that, that it might be a bit confusing. I write so that I can feel certain emotions I want to feel. I mean, I do feel stuff all the time. This lets me choose what to feel, and importantly, to provide good feelings at the end.

[lady-karelia.livejournal.com]

I write for me, because I love the words.

I love what you say here. Thank you for sharing it. Sometimes, some forget that writing isn't about receiving reviews but a process of communicating, often an inevitable one.

[lady-karelia.livejournal.com]

*grins* I love that answer. It's a wonderful reason to write! I don't think I'll ever find it easy. Sometimes, a paragraph or two seem to write themselves, and I feel tremendously accomplished because it was, well, easy, but it never happens long enough for me to lose that feeling of accomplishment. :D

[lady-karelia.livejournal.com]

Poetry is something I love to read, but I've never been able to write it beyond the odd limerick or haiku, and then quite poorly. Writing fic comes somewhat easier to me.

I think we've all learned a lot since the first chapter we wrote. It's a natural thing, as in practice makes perfect, I think. ;)

Aw, thank you for your kind words! It takes quite a bit of willingness to work on improvement, and I think I do no more than pushing you in the right direction. You are the one who's doing the work. :D

[lady-karelia.livejournal.com]

As so often, what you say completely resonates with me. Including the need to edit and revise, lol. I do a lot of that, and sometimes I wish I worked a bit faster, but then again, I cannot because that wouldn't be me.

I so hope you'll share your writings one day!

[lady-karelia.livejournal.com]

I think being good at it or not becomes a very objective thing once you've learned the basics. In a way, I also find it's secondary, after I'm happy that I've written something, that I write some more, that eventually, there is an entire story I told.

I, too, find driving incredibly helpful. I do it when I'm stuck with plot, even if it's just for a few miles, but it works perfectly well for me, and I far prefer it over cleaning the kitchen, LOL.

Thank you for sharing!

[lady-karelia.livejournal.com]

*icon love*

Your words remind me just how much fanfic has done for so many of us. I did not write for years after leaving home. At school, I used to write short fairy tales for the school magazine. Then I left the country and spent years making another language my own. And it was finally through discovering fanfic that I started writing again, this time in English.

Thanks for sharing, dear Subversa!