When did you know you wanted to pursue writing?

Discuss writing, including writing tips & tricks, writing philosophy, writer's block, etc. If you have grammar questions, marketing questions, or if you want feedback on a poem or short story you wrote, please use the corresponding forum below.
Featured Topic: How to Get Your Book Published
Forum rules
If you have spelling or grammar questions, please post them in the International Grammar section.

If you want feedback for poetry or short stories you have written, please post the poem or short story in either the Creative Original Works: Short Stories section or the Creative Original Works: Poetry section.

If you have a book that you want reviewed, click here to submit your book for review.
User avatar
moderntimes
Posts: 2249
Joined: 15 Mar 2014, 13:03
Favorite Author: James Joyce
Favorite Book: Ulysses by James Joyce
Currently Reading: Grendel by John Gardner
Bookshelf Size: 0
fav_author_id: 2516

Re: When did you know you wanted to pursue writing?

Post by moderntimes »

I've always written, starting when I was just a kid, writing SF stories based on my faves, Edgar Rice Burroughs' John Carter of Mars or maybe Tarzan.

In college I created, wrote, edited an "underground" newsletter that had the dean of students in an uproar. It was never discovered who was the phantom writer, ha ha.

Later I strung for a newspaper and the AP, and wrote "expose" articles for a local monthly magazine (fake car repair shops, bad restaurants, etc).

Then I continued and have done so to this day, writing magazine articles, book & movie reviews, essays, short stories, and most recently, a series of modern American private detective novels.

Most of this hasn't "paid the light bill" and my actual "day job" career began as a research chemist and then into computers, later as a consultant for engineering specifications for mostly safety and environmental documentation for "big oil" deepwater exploration and drilling. Which certainly paid the rent and of course, a lot more. But it was still writing in a way. Luckily I was able to mix my technical knowhow and literary skills, a very nice thing to do.

But yeah, I've written all my life, still write (and read) voraciously.
"Ineluctable modality of the visible..."
T_Reed
Posts: 11
Joined: 21 Aug 2014, 22:42
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-t-reed.html

Post by T_Reed »

For me writing wasn't something I was instantly in love with. Truthfully I hated writing and would have rather day dreamed than write anything. It wasn't until sixth grade that I realized I could write down those same day dreams and share them with everyone else, during a writing assignment. I believe it was something about writing a descriptive short story with yourself or someone you know as the main character. At the time my friend had been getting bullied and was really sad so, I made my story about her. I can't even remember what the story was about, but I remember her smile when it was time for it to be read out loud. It was then that I realized I could actually make people happy with the things I had dreamt up
User avatar
kittyTM
Posts: 11
Joined: 22 Aug 2014, 00:39
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-kittytm.html

Post by kittyTM »

As a child I had a very active imagination. I had imaginary friends and imaginary worlds, I was so many creatures and people, but it became clear that I was, above all, a story teller and a poet, and as soon as I knew how to form letters and words, I was writing short-stories and stretching my creativity muscle. Obviously, at such a young age, the stories were childish with basic themes and minimal vocabularies, but I was lucky to live in a household that encouraged creativity because I eventually grew up to publish a non-fiction at age 16, and am working on several fictional stories at this very moment!
scorp0111
Posts: 15
Joined: 21 Aug 2014, 00:07
Favorite Author: Khaled Hosseini
Favorite Book: To Sir With Love by E R Braithwaite
Currently Reading: Kill List by Fredrick Forsyth
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-scorp0111.html
fav_author_id: 2454

Post by scorp0111 »

I have been writing for my own satisfaction ever since I was a preschooler- making up stories and short rhymes. As I grew up my writings started looking better :D 6 years back I decided to quit my full time career in the finance industry and took the plunge to pursue writing as a career. I haven't looked back ever since :).
Jasmine_Mannan
Posts: 16
Joined: 22 Aug 2014, 08:13
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-jasmine-mannan.html

Post by Jasmine_Mannan »

I've been making up and telling stories since i learnt to talk. I remember scribbling on paper and saying i had wrote a book when i was about five or six. I have always loved writing.
User avatar
Chizzyon
Posts: 11
Joined: 21 Aug 2014, 06:36
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-chizzyon.html

Post by Chizzyon »

I think i did as a child. Always loved writing stories. Still love writing but only when am free and in a good mood
User avatar
milliethom
Posts: 141
Joined: 11 Aug 2014, 13:00
Favorite Author: Dorothy Dunnett
Favorite Book: Game of Kings - and numerous others.
Bookshelf Size: 15
fav_author_id: 27343

Post by milliethom »

I really began to enjoy writing stories when I was about nine. At the same time, all I wanted to do was read. When I was twelve my English teacher praised my 'vivid imagination', which, of course went quite to my head! Anyway, my love of writing never waned but, as with many people, the necessities of everyday life, earning a living and bringing up a family got in the way for a long time. Only in the last few years did I actually take myself in hand and put pen to paper, as they say. But I do so wish I'd started earlier.
User avatar
julietanabelle44
Posts: 4
Joined: 25 Aug 2014, 14:57
Bookshelf Size: 0

Post by julietanabelle44 »

In 6th grade, all I ever did was write and I feel like writing is who I am. It feels right to put my thoughts and ideas on paper it's an amazing feeling to create new worlds and new characters.
clmartz
Posts: 47
Joined: 24 Aug 2014, 14:12
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-clmartz.html

Post by clmartz »

I started writing "woe is me" poetry when I was a young teenager, and then moved into YA short stories. I suffered from depression through most of my teen years, and it served as an outlet for me during this time--I was able to create a world that seemed like it was worse than mine, and make my characters overcome when I couldn't. I've been hooked since; thankfully the worlds in my creation have become less grim over the years.
User avatar
ALynnPowers
Posts: 8536
Joined: 21 Aug 2014, 07:14
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 417
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-alynnpowers.html
Latest Review: Sarah's Dream by Eileen Bird
Reading Device: B0051QVF7A
Publishing Contest Votes: 13

Post by ALynnPowers »

Third grade, after my teacher gave us this assignment to write our own book... stapling ten pieces of construction paper together and illustrating the story.
Amheiser
Posts: 364
Joined: 24 Sep 2013, 19:41
Currently Reading: Freedom
Bookshelf Size: 24
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-amheiser.html
Latest Review: "Beginners only dance book" by Allen g darnel

Post by Amheiser »

I remember writing short stories when I was in elementary school and my teachers liked my ideas but reading was what I enjoyed most so that's what I spent most of my spare time doing. Then when my first child was born I started keeping a journal because I didn't want to forget about any of the special moments we had and I thought it might be fun for my children to read about their childhood from the time they were too young to remember. We also made up stories together and both of my children are very good at writing now. Then my journal started to be where I could write out all my frustrations with life. I want to keep writing now but I like to have blocks of time for writing and those don't happen much right now so I'm still mostly reading with hopes of some day writing children's stories from the ideas my children gave me.
Latest Review: "Beginners only dance book" by Allen g darnel
User avatar
SharisseEM
Posts: 273
Joined: 30 Sep 2014, 04:32
Favorite Author: Mia Sheridan
Favorite Book: Stinger
Bookshelf Size: 34
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-sharisseem.html
Latest Review: "The Bonding" by Imogen Keeper
fav_author_id: 3312

Post by SharisseEM »

When I was 16. I was writing fanfiction before that and I never let anyone read it. Then when I was 16, our teachers were emphasising the future and wanting to know what we wanted to do. I started writing my own stuff and it was like an epiphany. I wanted to be an author.
“I don't suffer from my insanity -- I enjoy every minute of it.”
Latest Review: "The Bonding" by Imogen Keeper
User avatar
ehsanch
Posts: 5
Joined: 22 Feb 2015, 00:22
Bookshelf Size: 0
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-ehsanch.html

Post by ehsanch »

Since I was a kid
zeldas_lullaby
Posts: 5980
Joined: 27 Mar 2013, 20:01
Favorite Author: ---------
Favorite Book: <a href="http://forums.onlinebookclub.org/shelve ... =3452">The Thorn Birds</a>
Currently Reading: The Last Stonestepper
Bookshelf Size: 79
Signature Addition: View official OnlineBookClub.org review of Forever Twelve

Post by zeldas_lullaby »

Um... OK, picture it: October, 2013. I was unfunded for my next woodworking project, and I needed a less expensive way to pass the time. I was messing around online and came across a mention of a local short story contest. I didn't want to enter the contest, but I did suddenly wonder, "Could I write a short story?" So I did, that evening. It was called Unlawful. It scandalized all of my family members. They were horrified. "Don't publish this!" they pleaded. "Don't enter that contest!" And then they were like, "Can't you write anything more wholesome?"
So I started writing Forever Twelve that night. Here I am still writing (its sequel).

To back up the train, I grew up keeping diaries in which I narrated my life rather than just writing my emotions, or whatever. I practiced making my life seem like a story with dialogue and such. But I never wrote any fiction.
User avatar
ALynnPowers
Posts: 8536
Joined: 21 Aug 2014, 07:14
Currently Reading:
Bookshelf Size: 417
Reviewer Page: onlinebookclub.org/reviews/by-alynnpowers.html
Latest Review: Sarah's Dream by Eileen Bird
Reading Device: B0051QVF7A
Publishing Contest Votes: 13

Post by ALynnPowers »

Cute story!

Unfortunately for me, my desire to write started at age 8.... and I'm pretty sure my writing ability hasn't improved at all since then. :(
Post Reply

Return to “Writing Discussion”