This past weekend, I went out to dinner with some of my mommy-friends. We were discussing our weeks, and I mentioned how happy I was that I had finished writing a chapter of my novel. One of the mommies turned to me, and asked if I’ve always been a writer. I gave her the short answer, yes and no.
When I was a young girl, I dreamed about being a writer. I was an avid reader, devouring books and after each one, I swore to myself that when I was an adult 
I’d write a novel. In my school composition notebooks, I’d jot down ideas and stories.
As I got older, I lost my passion. Life got busy. At university, I worked on assignments, wrote essays, and studied for exams. After university, my currency trading job had hours that were long and exhausting, and by the end of the day I was lucky if I had remembered to eat during the day.
A couple years later, I left my job, got married, and moved the US. I still wasn’t writing. I had ideas, but they lived in my head.
Then one day, as I was driving, it all changed. I pulled in behind a car with the bumper sticker that said, “Remember who you wanted to be”.
I remembered– I wanted to be a writer.
For the next couple days all I could think about was that saying, and why I wasn’t being who I wanted to be. Sure, on a spiritual level, I was being who I wanted to be, a nice, kind person but on a physical level, I’d failed myself.
It didn’t take long for me to rectify it. Within a few weeks, I bought a laptop, signed up for a novel writing class, and formed a critique group.
Today, I can say I am who I wanted to be. I am a writer.
Have you always wanted to be a writer? Have you always written or did you take time off and come back again? What prompted you to return? And are you who you wanted to be?
Filed under: Motivation, The Writer's Life | Tagged: getting started, writing, writing motivation
Short answer; no. I thought I was going to be an actor, which I was for many years. It was only a few years ago I realized I had been writing for years and the mystery plays I wrote for fundraisers were actually pretty good. My biggest discovery was not everyone could write them; I found it ridiculously easy.
Now I’ve got 12 mystery games and 2 scripts which bring me lovely royalty cheques each quarter. I work on my novel. I’m not an actor, but this is pretty fun. Bonus, of course, is I can write and still be home for my kids.
Elspeth
Oh, golly. This could take some time to answer, but, I’ll keep it brief. Uh, no, I didn’t always want to be a writer. My mom was a writer and I watched that exercise growing up, so, I was familiar with what it meant, but, I never had much interest in. Until, I discovered there were people who thought I could write (fools) and I tried it and actually enjoyed it. So, that’s the short version. Now, *can* I write is a different question.
Best Regards, Galen
Imagineering Fiction Blog
I wanted to be so many things as a child! My aspirations changed weekly
But writing has always been a part of who I am and what I do.
I love my day-job too. It’s also who I and and what I do. I wouldn’t give it up at the moment, I love having both of my “jobs”
Awesome story! I love that saying. I try to remember who I am during the rush of life. I always loved to write and did, but not professionally:) I want to be that person who makes a difference in another person’s life whether it be through counseling, my bookstore, writing or whatever.
Awesome and inspiring post, Carolyn! What a wonderful bumpersticker! Yes, I’m totally doing what I’ve always wanted to do too! It hasn’t always been a straight path there! But I’m glad the winding path led me to where I am finally!
Oh yes, I’ve always wanted to write, and I can’t imagine doing anything else. I think the book that prompted me to really really pursue writing as a possible future was The Last Unicorn becasue I knew that book had changed me. I believe that is the gift for the writers because for most people it sure isn’t the money. I mean, what power to be able to magically affect someone just by words you wove together. What an amazing way to spend a lifetime.