I'm A Writer - Therefore I Am Not Sane

Day 9: If you could have any job in the world, what would it be?

A writer! I want to be a writer.

But for some reason, I want to start off with a smart-ass answer (or several)... so let me get the random out of the way before delving into the - what *I* feel anyway is - obvious answer.

If I could have any job in the world, what would it be?

• Shapeshifter Therapist
• Licorice Whipper
• Substitute for Magician's Hat
• Professional Sleeper
• The next Defense Against the Dark Arts Teacher
• World Traveler
• Lightsaber Specialist
• Root Beer Floater

Okay, now that I got that all out of my system... sort of. *wink*

Yeah, I've always wanted to be a writer. At least that's how I feel about it. My brother and I shared a room when we were little and most of the time we played, we were using our imaginations and creating all these different worlds and characters... which is all based on story.

I became obsessed with books at an early age. I had a Sesame Street book club membership courtesy of my parents (though my brother later tells me they were ours). I loved those books. My niece has them now. She just turned 7 so I'm not sure she really reads them anymore, but they're somewhere in her universe.

In any case, story has always been important to me. If a show or a book or whatever didn't entertain me, it was usually do to lack of story or one that was put together weird or weak story. (You get my meaning.) All the books/comics/graphic novels I read, games I play, TV shows.movies I watch... all have one thing in common - I like the story.

In kindergarten during free time, I occasionally went to the books which my teacher thought was interesting since most of the kids went to the toys and paints, etc. I remember one day after lunch during naptime, she pulled me aside to look over the book I was looking at which was this thin oversized book about various types of transportation. She let me read for her and helped me with some of the words, but yeah... I loved me some reading.

For years when school started, it was the basic "What did you do over summer vacation?" essay you had to write when you got back. There were also some other prompts that seemed to rotate throughout my years dealing with the subject of English and creative writing.

Most of the time - I think starting out in fourth grade, maybe? - we were taught the five paragraph essay. Beginning and concluding paragraphs and three body paragraphs in the middle. I never really cared for the prompts we were given but made do since homework had to be done. No one really ever said we could write more than that so I was always under the impression that we had to keep it at five paragraphs - no more, no less.

It wasn't until junior high during homeroom when after the class had been assigned a prompt, I walked up to the teacher and asked if we could write more than just five paragraphs. She said, "Of course. You don't have to stop at just five." I think the prompt - which oddly enough I had twice - had to do with me getting on a city transportation bus to go somewhere. On the bus were specific types of people like an older lady, a child, a punker (that is what the prompt said - "punker"), the bus driver and maybe one other person (aside from myself). The bus was to have broken down, and there were bars on the windows or something. During the draft phase of writing, the teacher had asked if anyone wanted to read theirs for the class. I don't remember volunteering. I think she called me up. I do remember reading and everyone listening and the other kids like, "She's turning another page? How much did she write?" In all fairness, it wasn't that much. If the average five paragraph essay was 2-3 pages, mine was maybe 4-5 pages at the most.

When I was called up a different time to read my story, I heard someone say, "Here she comes with another novel."

I had started writing around the later years of elementary school (4th-6th grade). I remember writing a poem that got published in the school annual... or whatever they called it. I think it was something I had written that my teacher submitted for me. I wrote a story in the 6th grade for a contest that was something like "A Day In the Life of My Shoes" but she ended up not submitting it because I used the word "heck" or "hell" and "damn." (I thought my story was kinda cute, but oh well.)

I also write poetry, but I haven't written anything in a while. And I also find that most of my poetry comes from when I'm really sad or upset... emotional states I try and avoid.

My freshman year I started writing a novel. First one I ever did front to back. Last period there was a girl in my class - a senior to my freshman - and she saw me writing and wanted to read it. I let her read some, and she liked it. We talked about it off/on, and she was really supportive, and I appreciated that. Later my mother went with her sister to an English class, and my mother made me come along which I'm not sure why since I was old enough to stay at home with my brother (I think I was 13-14 then). The teacher gave me credit for being there, but there was really nothing for me to do since I was taking more advanced classes in high school. During the computer lab time, the teacher let me just write instead of doing the programs the rest of the class did. Then I would print out my pages and take them home. Eventually my mom and aunt quit the class - which disappointed me - and then I went back to using my mom's typewriter to work on the rest.

I still have those two novels in my collection and mean to polish them up... someday. They are the only two novels I have written beginning to end. Nowadays, I work a little differently - writing whatever comes to mind. I wish I could channel that FINISH part of the first two since one of the gripes I'd get from my friends is that I start off these stories that they like and never finish them... which is sadly true.

I have all these ideas for novels in my head... and I've made progress on two of them, but it seems that when I get over 100 pages, I go numb from the brain down and that's that.

I used to think if I wanted to write, I'd just write... and that's what I want to do, but of course there are other factors working against me such as my insomnia and having to work to support myself. Also I don't really have the best writing conditions/space, and I try to fix that whenever possible, but it;s annoying. Hopefully that part will at least change soon.

But yes... I want to write. I want to write novels and be on the best sellers list next to my favorite authors. I want people to read my books and enjoy them. (Is it wrong that I have the occasional fantasy about doing a book signing or author event? I think I'd be a fun guest.)

It wasn't until after high school and my brief stint in college that people started commenting on the voices I would do when telling a story or whatever. Being a fan of cartoons and animation - as well as Disney and Pixar - I started daydreaming about being a voice actress as well. I think I'd be good at it.

But the main passion - the main gig I'd love more than anything - is to be a successful published author. (Did that answer your question? LOL!)

Later my lovelies.

Have Goodness!
Rae