Writing History

Surfing around the internet, peeking around at blogs and sites of writers, I keep seeing the question - Did you always know you wanted to be a writer? - and I wanted to dive into this for myself.

Did I?

No. Deffffffinitely NOT.

Up until a few years ago, I could not FATHOM the idea of stringing together more than a few paragraphs, let alone several chapters to make a WHOLE STORY?!!? Writing papers was always fun in school, but it was ultimately super effortful.

But when I think about my first childhood fetish, it all begins to make sense! I was ADDICTED to collecting ERASERS! I know it's strange, but I loved these suckers. In every shape, size, color...tiny little high heels made of rubber, smiley faces, glow in the dark, pencil-toppers, huge ice cream cones...the BEST things ever! Some of them smelled AMAZING too!

Next fetish was school supplies. Mechanical pencils. Mechanical fuckin pencils. Drool. What about those pens with the four different colors all in one?!!? Do you remember that?! Ah. mazing. A good ball point? Like butter. Markers, sharpies, little pens, ultra big ones. Obsessed.

Then I got into poetry and music and writing in that vein. It was a slow progression. Starting with my first band in college, then poetry slamming in Orlando, and eventually producing six full length original cds.

It was in Boone, North Carolina where the novel writing magic really unfolded. Scratch that. It was in New Orleans, when I was on the road. I was staying in this nasty hotel and it was late, and I was all alone. My imagination was getting the best of me, so I decided to turn it on itself. I broke out my laptop and started typing. Clementine was born.

Now I can see myself writing many, many novels in the years to come. I get so much joy watching characters unfold in front of me, surprising me at every turn. My favorite new quote is:

"Writing a novel is like driving a car at night. You can see only as far as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way."E.L. Doctorow

I LOVE THAT!!!!

If you think you can write, you can. I believe in you! And if I can do it, anyone can!!