Wednesday, May 25, 2011

What Inspired You?

Let's talk about what inspired you to write. I mean, not just write, but take writing seriously. For me, writing has been in my blood since I can remember, but I didn't always act on it. After college, I pushed my love of writing to the back of my mind, started a career, got married, had children, and basically lived the rat race like so many people in this world. Of course, I never gave up writing completely. Somewhere in there I took an online children's book writing course. I wrote poetry. And I even wrote the first 50 pages of a novel. But nothing concrete. To give you an idea, I had no clue what a query letter was. For 10 years, writing was just something I did sporadically and, pardon my language, half-assed.

But then my inspiration came. Something that made me sit up and ask, "What the heck am I doing with my life?" I have these God-given gifts, an immeasurable imagination, and I'm wasting them by working a 9-5 office job while my talents are rotting in dust.

My inspiration was simply a song on the radio. It was two years ago this July I first heard it. The song is called "The Motions" by Matthew West.

By the time the song had ended, I was in tears. You can take the song to mean many things, but for me it meant I was wasting my life - just going through the motions. I was at a low point, unhappy with my job, and I came to the realization I wasn't doing what I was born to do. And so I started writing...seriously writing. I honestly don't think I'd be where I am now if it weren't for that song. And every time I hear it, it motivates me to try harder, to not give up.

If you've taken a break from writing, or just picked it up for the first time, what has been your inspiration?

2 comments:

  1. Ah, inspiration! I first started writing in high school. I'm not sure why. I think it's because there were no great books about the subject I wanted to read about, so I just wrote my own book. Later, when I stopped writing when I got married, I couldn't find inspiration for 5 years. It was kind of awful. Then, one day, when my daughter was 8 months old I decided I needed to write again. I was dying inside, it felt like. I had to focus my creative energy into words again.

    I'm touched by your story. Writing can be such an important part of your life. Hold onto it with everything you've got! And remember, publishing is a byproduct, not the goal. :)

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  2. I bet many writers got their inspiration from being dissatisfied in life. It's like a kick in the butt, forcing you to make a change for the better.

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