Why are You a Writer?

Why are you a writer? One time, my daughter asked that question and it didn’t take me but a second to come up with the answer…because I love it!

I knew what she was getting at. She has seen me suffer for my art. With no particular order or value, here are some of the less glamorous things that she notices about my writing life:

* Sometimes a good writing roll takes the place of a shower.
* I admit to worrying about bad reviews.
* I occasionally pound my hands against the desk when my characters decide to say the stupidest thing ever.
* Even more often, I pound my head against the desk when my characters refuse to talk to me.
* I’ve come to accept that some of my books have found a loyal and devoted audience of three.

I don’t write for the money because let’s face it, I’m not Nora Roberts. I don’t write because it’s an easy job. In addition to writing, there are countless hours spent on social media, promotions, editing, and proofreading.

I write because I love to read and I love taking my readers (and myself) away to another world. I love planning my next book. I’ve even taken to becoming a location scout. When I have an idea for a book, I’ll visit some place close to my home where my characters might hang out and snap some photos for inspiration. This and planning the covers is what I call mind candy. It’s fun and it makes me say, “I’ve got the best job ever!”

That’s why I write.