Today is the Origins BlogFest day – cohosted by DL Hammons, Katie Mills, Alex J. Cavanaugh, and Matthew MacNish.
On Monday, February 13th, you should post your own origin story. Tell us all where your writing dreams began. It all started somewhere and we want you to tell us your own, unique, beginnings.  Â
I really like the concept behind this BlogFest.
Everyone has a different story, and mine always makes me smile.
I grew up with my mother reading me Enid Blyton, and marveling at the worlds she created within my own. I believe this would now be referred to as contemporary MG 😉 But it didn’t take me long to start reading on my own after I started school and I devoured pretty much every book I could get my hands on.
Then I started writing, because no book I read drew pictures in my head that were a match for my imagination.
Now, I should probably note here, that I had recurring nigthmares as a child. In one of them I woke up just before the car I was locked into rolled down a hill and jetisoned into a wide river. In one of the others I woke up every time my father turned into a monster after checking for intruders.
And when I was about eight, I had a real story idea. Having just learned the meaning of the word Deluge, I wanted to use it. So I did. This piece was titled Ghostly Deluge and it took up about sixteen handwritten A4 pages. (Even now wanting to call a story something usually gives me plotbunnies, but I digress).
We were always encouraged to show our teachers things we created, and so I was more than excited to show her my story.
Because who doesn’t love ghost stories? About ghosts in the attic because one of the twins fell down the attic stairs a hundred years ago and died due to a broken neck? How the new owners forbade their twin daughter from going up there, and locked the door. And then, how the girls saw the door open when their parents were late home on a stormy evening, and walked up the stairs.
But this time both of them died.
I was so proud to get the story out of my head. But my teacher didn’t react that way. She got worried.
The thing is, my mother is artistic. She can write, she can draw, she can sing. I can’t draw to save my life, but I can write and sing. My mother, from as early as I can remember told me other stories. Not ones written in books, but ones she came up with herself. Sometimes she’d use picture books and read versions of stories to me I didn’t realize were hers until many years later.
So my mother’s response to my teacher’s panic was to shrug and tell her not to worry. Her daughter would be a writer one day.
That was when I decided she was right. I would be a writer and I’d come up with the best stories about ghosts in attics ever. And even though I then went through my lawyer phase for about 15 years (long Perry Mason influenced story there for another time), I never forgot wanting to write. I never forgot I could write, and in certain ways, I never did stop writing.
Here I am – writing a lot and loving it.
I can’t imagine not being a writer. The voices in my head would drive me insane.
How about you?
~
Psst – don’t forget to pop over and check Rach Writers Beta Partner thing 😀
Your mom is awesome for encouraging your creativity. I think if anyone ever read the first short story I wrote when I was 11, they too would worry.. it was about a village that sacrificed their youngest child to the Gods… and blood rained down from the skies for weeks following the sacrifice.. I swear I was a normal kid. I swear!
Yeah, she was a tad creative herself.
<3 And I'm so glad you understand. I mean, honestly, what are stories for if not to express all the weird crap in your head? I was totally normal too 😀
I know right? I remember being sooo proud of my story and I saved it for along time, but I never showed it to anyone. and then we moved to the US and those pages never made it across the ocean.. I wish I still had it though.
I have no idea where my story is… somewhere in a dump probably – in one of our many moves lol
Wow – you have an awesome Mum! What guts you both had. I remember also wanting to use fancy words that I had recently learnt – but as I wasn’t a young starter I’m not sure how I did.
I definitely had an awesome Mum. She was creative and wanted me to be creative.
Fancy words are the death of me. At least for titles.
I’ve never heard of Enid Blyton before.
My mother is British, and I was born in Australia, so I forget not everyone knows her. Do you know Noddy? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enid_Blyton
She was rather prolific 😉
Great post. Writing is the only thing I ever really loved to do and felt I had any sort of talent. It’s the reasons I got into journalism is the first place. And your mom is great for encouraging you – I’ve been very fortunate in that respect as well. Thanks for sharing!
I think you have to stick with that love. Although I know there are people who can force technically perfect stories, I still think stories from inspiration are far better.
You were born to be a writer! :0)
Your mother sounds amazing 😉
Hah! Thank you, hon <3
Yeah, she is pretty awesome.
My teacher worried that I’d rot my brain out reading too many Sweet Valley High books. My best friend read a lot of Stephen King so our collaborative story efforts involved twins in a bad horror film. She was pretty horrified, as I recall.
OMG! I remember reading Sweet Valley High, except I had to sneak them because my mother didn’t want me reading them at my age (I don’t think I was 10 yet), but I devoured Trixie Belden, Babysitter’s club etc. Oddly, I never baby sat…
And twins in a bad horror film kinda sounds awesome
See, mothers know best lol
Great story! Thanks for sharing!
Yes, yes they do 😀
I have no idea where I get my desire/talent. Both my parents are not very creative. Neither can teach. And they both think they didn’t do well in school. But they never discouraged me from writing. I devoured books. (They bought me Poe at 9). I lived in the library. I guess my desire comes from reading so much? I don’t know. I don’t even know how I started, or what made me decide. Remembering is so hard sometimes. 🙂
I think a love for reading can genuinely turn into a skill and need to create <3
Good for your mother!
Thanks for participating in the blogfest.
Yes!
Thanks for hosting it!
I love your mom’s reaction. She was right, wasn’t she? Awesomeness!
She was definitely right. She makes a habit of that lol
You got bitten by the bug really early. Awesome that your mother realized your talent and creativity, instead of getting uptight.
She wanted me to be creative. I did ballet, piano, singing, modern, tap and jazz… I think she figured writing would be ok too haha
I have had vivid dreams all of my life. The one just last night taking the cake for not normal. I pretty much kept them to myself and only wrote about them in my journal. Now they are the kickoff point for some crazy story ideas. I am happy to read of others like me.
Sometimes dreams can provide the best backdrop of a story
Yea for Mom and a self-fulfilling prophecy!
Definitely Yay for Mom 😀
You should post your first story!
I wish I knew where it was! This was before we typed everything on computers lol. One day I might try a rewrite 😉
Go mom!
I think up through the fifth grade I wrote stories about blowing up Barney the dinosaur with an uzi and my friend illustrated. (Seriously, you’d think I’d have turned out to be a serial killer with all the red marker on those sheets.) But my mom didn’t worry or send me off to counseling, and my teacher was just thrilled that I loved writing. And I turned out just fine.
Ooo Barney blown up? I probably would have loved him like that hehe.
I’m glad your mom encouraged you all along. Thanks for sharing your story.
Thank you 😀 I’m really glad she did too!
Hi K.T. I’m just dropping in as one of the co-hosts, and am now your newest follower. Nice to meet you!
Hi Matthew! Nice to meet you too – and thank you for hosting!
Reading and hearing stories has often been the catalyst that has sent writers down that road they choose. I know that’s what did it for me as well.
Lee
Wrote By Rote
An A to Z Co-host blog
Twitter: @AprilA2Z
#atozchallenge
I think reading plays a bigger part than we realize. An awesome part.
I believe that a good many of us go through that dormant stage. I wonder if its part of the developmental process for writers? 🙂
Loved your ORIGIN story!
Yeah – Dormant is definitely a good word for it. Maybe it’s for stories to stew? 😉
Thank you for dropping by – and thank you for hosting!
Great origins story! Oh yes, the voices would drive me insane if I didn’t have an outlet for them. I have an aggressive muse and she doesn’t take no for an answer!
Yep – and only other writers truly appreciate that energetic muse 😀
Another post in which a mom offered support. Yay for moms!
Great story. 🙂
Yeah – I think the mothers of the world are responsible for all the writers of the world. In some way or another 😉
Thanks!
I thought I’d start by reading the Origins posts from authors I know. So glad I stopped by here. A great story. I love it when our moms recognize our talents and encourage them. My Origins Post: http://depressioncookies.blogspot.com/2012/02/just-under-wire-my-writing-origins.html
Thanks for stopping by, Tia 😀
Yeah I love that I’m seeing so many stories start with parent’s understanding 😀 I have so many to catch up on!
I totally get what you mean about the voices! A friend of mine has gone through a lot in her life, in addition to her mother recently dying, she’s seen a psychiatrist regularly for many years. He knows she writes, but she describes her characters the same way – as voices in her head.
He asks if they ever tell her what to do. She gives him the “are you serious?” look and explains that no, they only tell her what they’re doing. I laugh every time :D.
*nods* People don’t quite understand it hehe. But I love that other writers ‘get’ me
I love your story–and your mother’s reaction. My first story wouldn’t have worried anyone, a harmless tale about a blue whale, but I did get called to the principal’s office in third grade for writing a different story. It was a cooperative effort in which a friend and I were…working out our angry feelings…about a bully in the class. If I recall correctly, he met a rather gruesome demise on the page, which I then accidentally left in a library book.
It was very therapeutic!
Therapeutic is half the reason I write. I remember a long time ago working out huge issues I was having in a book. Needless to say that one’s on the no pile 😉 But it helped!
I don’t have an interesting story for how I began writing. I’ve just always kept journals and the rest proceeded naturally. I enjoyed your story, though. Your mom sounds like someone all mothers should strive to be like, what with the reading and making up her own stories for you. It’s inspiring. It also seems like the basis for a freeing writing exercise: “don’t fret about details. Pretend the story is for a child and just make it exciting and likable.” 🙂
She is pretty awesome.
But I love your story, even though you say you don’t have one. Journals and proceeding naturally sounds great. And made for a habit already 😀
Hey K.T., I love your story! your mum reminds me of myself with all her varied pursuits. Also, your story about freaking the teacher out reminds me of how my parents got told I had ‘issues’ when I was a little kid, ’cause I drew with black crayon. heheheheh
Hah! Black crayon. What was with people back then? Just because we liked black? Sheesh. *hugs her mostly black wardrobe*
as a teacher, i can see warning bells. so glad mom knew better and getting it out was a relief!
Hehe – yeah, probably. I just loved scary stuff. Always have and always will. Mom knew that.
That’s a great story! How lovely that your mother was so supportive.
Thank you 😀