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Why I write
Jul. 29th, 2005 03:46 pmA friend wrote an entry about why he writes, which I like, so now you guys get to read about why I write.
Unlike my friend, I can easily give a two-sentence explanation of why I write. One sentence, actually: I like sharing information and perspectives.
I'm not sure why I like doing that, but I know I've been like that at least since I was six years old because that's when I taught my little brother to read. I used the phonics system and my Dot and Jim book. (By the way, that book sucks for teaching via the phonics system, because many more words than necessary are not phonetically spelled. I specifically remember the words "come" and "because.")
When I learn something cool, even if I share it with others, I tend to quickly forget it again. One good thing about writing is that I can re-read it to remind myself of interesting things.
A related topic my friend brought up is why he's writing a novel. I'm writing a novel to find out if I can and if it's any fun for me. I generally write nonfiction, and suspect I am not creative enough for (intentional) fiction. On the other hand I might surprise myself. I will have good support (positive peer pressure) this November, so now is the time to try.
I already had one novel idea in mind, which I wanted to write because it would be interesting and fun and also extremely educational. Unfortunately, I'd have to learn all the stuff first. It requires research in astronomy, geography, evolutionary biology, comparative physiology, anthropology, sign languages, colonial history, nutrition, the history of the space program, and who knows what other ridiculous seemingly unrelated fields. I have to say, it is quite fun to delve deep into a new topic when you have very specific questions in mind. However, I suspect this particular novel will never get written.
For the November project I decided to choose characters, situations, and locations much, much closer to home, so that I wouldn't have to do any research. (I failed, of course: I am already researching dog behavior and state laws on wills.) I am trying to make it less ambitious, having learned in grad school that "ambitious" might be a compliment or it might mean "there's no way you're ever going to accomplish that in a mere lifetime, my pathetic grasshopper." I'm hoping that spewing a whole novel in a single month won't give me time to sit around exalting in the many reasons the project is impossible or wringing my hands over the stench of what I'm producing. I won't have the luxury of freezing up or avoiding the situation. Then by the end of the month, there should be a substantial pile of something, and it either will or will not have enough good in it to eventually become a novel. And then it will be either over or exciting. The end.
Unlike my friend, I can easily give a two-sentence explanation of why I write. One sentence, actually: I like sharing information and perspectives.
I'm not sure why I like doing that, but I know I've been like that at least since I was six years old because that's when I taught my little brother to read. I used the phonics system and my Dot and Jim book. (By the way, that book sucks for teaching via the phonics system, because many more words than necessary are not phonetically spelled. I specifically remember the words "come" and "because.")
When I learn something cool, even if I share it with others, I tend to quickly forget it again. One good thing about writing is that I can re-read it to remind myself of interesting things.
A related topic my friend brought up is why he's writing a novel. I'm writing a novel to find out if I can and if it's any fun for me. I generally write nonfiction, and suspect I am not creative enough for (intentional) fiction. On the other hand I might surprise myself. I will have good support (positive peer pressure) this November, so now is the time to try.
I already had one novel idea in mind, which I wanted to write because it would be interesting and fun and also extremely educational. Unfortunately, I'd have to learn all the stuff first. It requires research in astronomy, geography, evolutionary biology, comparative physiology, anthropology, sign languages, colonial history, nutrition, the history of the space program, and who knows what other ridiculous seemingly unrelated fields. I have to say, it is quite fun to delve deep into a new topic when you have very specific questions in mind. However, I suspect this particular novel will never get written.
For the November project I decided to choose characters, situations, and locations much, much closer to home, so that I wouldn't have to do any research. (I failed, of course: I am already researching dog behavior and state laws on wills.) I am trying to make it less ambitious, having learned in grad school that "ambitious" might be a compliment or it might mean "there's no way you're ever going to accomplish that in a mere lifetime, my pathetic grasshopper." I'm hoping that spewing a whole novel in a single month won't give me time to sit around exalting in the many reasons the project is impossible or wringing my hands over the stench of what I'm producing. I won't have the luxury of freezing up or avoiding the situation. Then by the end of the month, there should be a substantial pile of something, and it either will or will not have enough good in it to eventually become a novel. And then it will be either over or exciting. The end.