“The key to wisdom is knowing all the right questions.”
--John A. Simone
Hello and welcome to another exciting addition of L.T. Answers All! (Okay, not really, but Welcome all the same!) Today’s questions were asked all in a row and ironically, are all about writing. So here we go!
Elizabeth Bradley asked, How old were you when you started writing—when you knew you wanted to write?
I was eight years old when I knew I wanted to write books for the rest of my life. I wrote a silly little story for a friend about unicorns, Pegasus, and war. Right away, I was full of conflict. ;) (And apparently, had my genre picked out.)
DL Hammons asked, When was the first time somebody made a fuss about something you wrote?
The first time someone made a fuss about my writing was in 1994. My uncle had recently passed away so that’s how I remember the date so well. In an English class, our teacher wanted us to write a poem about someone we loved and who had taught us something. I didn’t know my uncle very well but the memories I had of him were good ones.
The poem was cheesy but heartfelt and in an innocent desire to help her feel better, I shared it with my grandmother. I look back on that poem now and shudder but she never did. Every time I saw her, for the next ten years or more, she praised that poem. The poem truly didn’t deserve it but it was the first time anyone had really seen something in my writing.
Though my grandmother has now gone to be reunited with her beloved husband and son, her words remain with me. I’ll never forget the way she made me want to do better—show her better than that silly attempt—but I don’t know that she ever would have changed her mind.
Kristina P. asked, If you weren’t a writer, what job would you have?
If I wasn’t a writer? You mean the world goes on? It still spins on its axis and the sun rises and sets? No. You’re pulling my leg.
Seriously, if I wasn’t a writer I’d probably clean barns for a living. I was raised with horses and despite how grody it sounds, there’s nothing like the smell of the barn. Naturally, I’d sneak a pony or two out for a ride. Compensation, right?
Well, that’s it for now! I’m trying to rein in my wordiness. (Ha ha!)
Until next time,
L.T.
p.s. Tell me about your start as a writer. Don’t write? Fill me in on your passions and their beginnings.
30 comments:
I love reading your blog, because you are completely different than I am. No way would I ever want to clean a barn! :)
I love question and answer time! I wasn't disappointed.
I wrote one of those poems in high school too. It's one of the few things I wrote that I kind of liked. :)
I'm always so impressed by people who've been writing since they were kids. I pretty much hated writing until after I graduated from college. For me writing= homework. I started writing 2 1/2 years ago as a way to stay sane after having my third baby in 3 years.
What a non-wordy post! And so informative! If I didn't write, I'd be a yoga teacher... I mean a full-time yoga teacher. After my kids grew up.
So my passion has been not to have to go to work everyday... It pretty much started when I started going to work everyday. So I have a few options... A: Take over the world. B: Have my wife publish a book and live off of her success for years to come (that's a hint, by the way) C: create something so awesome that it sells very well, then purchase half of the US... and then the world!! Hahaha!
...Dude... I think I might just try all three!
What a great Q&A! I was a youngster, too, when I wrote my first story. I'm betting it was around age 11 or 12. I still have that story - it's locked in my fireproof safe. :-)
Wow, 8 years old. That's amazing. I wrote my first novel attempt in 5th grade, but it was so frustrating that I put that aside and didn't find it again till I was 32.
I'm not surprised you found your gift so early .. it's clearly the right path for you.
I started writing when I was old (I think you were there when I told you I was starting). I'm still old, but hoping I will get younger the more I write. =)
3rd grade. Orange Elementary. Mrs. Moore asks us all to write a poem for a collection she mimeographs for us. (I can still see and smell the purple ink on the warm, slick paper.)
I still remember a line or two: "I step on a stick, I step on a stone,/ it crunches like an ice cream stone." Crunchy stones aside, it is a memorable poem for me BECAUSE of the fuss Mrs. Moore made over it. Memorable as well, because 20 years later when I returned to my hometown as a pastor, Mrs. Moore sought me out and recited the poem in full to me.
If I make it as a writer it will be in some large part because she saw the possibilities in that poem. Thank you for inviting us to join you in answering this question, LT.
I kinda like the smell of a barn too. I didn't grow up with one, but I grew up with a love for the country and the times we lived in it.
How I became a writer--or at least a wannabe one--that could be the subject for a blog post. The well has shriveled up on those for me! But I think I wrote my first book when I was about four.
I began making up stories before I could even write but the thought of being a writer didn't hit me till I was 18 or so. It just didn't occur to me that this could even be allowed - finding such joy in the pursuit of something that made me so much happier in life. I spent my time pretending to aspire to what made sense (i.e. teaching), but it always felt flat and wrong somehow. Now? I know why.
You know, it really is exciting reading your answers to these questions. Probably not to you. I mean, you know the answers already after all. But it's exciting for me!
@ BYU we had to write a thing about reading for Dr. Jacobs' (LOVE him) children's lit class (not a writing class, and not in my major. I just thought it would be fun. It was). He read mine out loud. The whole thing. I was hooked. I wanted to be READ after that.
Let me refer you to my late bloomer post. That probably says it all.
I can understand the barn smell attraction. I'm not a barn person, but the smell of bus exhaust always makes me smile. It makes me of trips I've taken and big cities.
Great questions and even better answers. I love these kinds of posts!
Great answers! I did a blog post way back about how I became a writer. (Maybe I'll repost that sometime.) It basically amounted to my husband pointing out my dream to me. Can't wait to see you this weekend.
Great answers, L.T! And no, the world doesn't keep spinning if you're not a writer. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. :)
I loved to write when I was little, but drawing was always my true passion. It wasn't until about a year and half ago I decided I wanted to write novels. Now I can't imagine doing anything else.
Fun to learn a little more about you! :)
I wrote a poem to my husband that I later found I had pretty much plagiariazed. Never knew I had such a fabulous memory!
Great post! I have always loved writing. The first story I actually remember writing was in 6th grade. I never did anything about it thought because I was a musician and that was my first love. Now that I'm older, my love of writing has resurfaced. Thank heavens.
I've only been writing for two years but I've busted my behind to progress quickly.
So I was totally trying to comment last night until my laptop crapped out on me. So here I finally am!
Thanks so much for sharing your story! And I'm glad to see I'm not the only one who wonders how the world will go on... lol!
Barn cleaning...hmmm. While I don't have a barn, I have some pretty dirty floors right now. Do you think you'd consider...?
:)
Carry on with your wordiness. I love it!
I enjoyed your answers a lot Laura. Barn cleaning doesn't sound fun, but the way you write about it does.
Oooo I love hearing q&a's and getting to learn more about you. I love love riding horses. I took riding lessons when I was 16. I paid for them myself even. I only got to do it for a few months and I'd love to get to do it more.
It always makes me happy how many people figure out just what they love doing at such a young age. I even see it in my own children, that they know exactly what they want to be.
When I was 6, I wrote in my journal that I was going to be a singer dancer actor entertainer musician mother when I grew up. I idolized Marie Osmond, and I knew I wanted babies. There you have it. :) Although, I'm not much of a dancer these days.
Eight year old? Wow! And stuck with the same genre still? I imagine you must be a very decisive person. LOL
My first novel attempt was at thirteen or fourteen. There were two and they were very much like things I had read. Go figure.
Great to meet you last night and hopefully I'll run into you today at the conference :)
I cleaned an enormous barn growing up. I had no idea anyone would ever be jealous of that. ;)
Oooh, I really like my word verifier word: hotop. Short for hot topic (the writing kind, not the gruesome clothing store).
I was seven when I first wrote a story that anyone paid attention to (it was a tiny bit of attention--clearly I was deprived). It was a little love story about two chess pieces. I guess I had my genre picked out right away, too. :)
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