Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2007 8:14 am Post subject: What prompted you to start writing Chick Lit?
For me, I've always been in love with romance - I grew up on M&B, but it used to drive me mad, how placid the women were, and how ridiculously over-bearing the men were. I was sooo relieved when I 'discovered' Chick Lit - there *were* women like me who drank and swore and met random men in random bars! Yay!
Anyway, I started writing when I was ten years old. At fourteen I was a nationally-published romance writer and by eighteen, I’d convinced myself to give it up in pursuit of a less volatile career. Stupid girl.
I write everyday, whether it be blogging, lukewarm song lyrics (a friend of mine is an awesome songwriter - I get chills when I hear my words come from his mouth! or fiction. If I don't write my head will explode.
The best way to describe my writing journey is to say that I didn't chose to write. I never woke up one day with something to say. I think it is more like writing chose me. For as long as I can remember, I have been in love with words, with language, with the versatility and drama of communicating through written word. Sounds a bit cheesy, but true.
I always wanted to write a book, but never thought I had any stories to tell. I am a poet and always have been. The more I studied and learned and refined my voice, the less I thought I would be able to write a full fledged story.
One day, I got rather tired of my shilly-shallying and started writing a story. Based on nothing really, other than a recurring fantasy I had been having, Started with that in mind. I had no characters, no story arc, no plan. Amazingly, as I wrote more, the more it came to me. The characters started speaking to me, and TaDa! a NaNo Novel was born.
I do struggle with the transition from poetry to novel writing quite a bit...I get to use so many more words to translate the same thing! I am so glad that I chose to do this- not only do I believe in myself even more as a writer, but I have found a community of people who believe it too. I do think that if I were to walk around telling my family and friends I have chosen to be a writer...they might laugh a bit, pat me kindly on the head, and wish me luck. After asking how I planned on paying my bills.
As for why I chose chick-lit....I think that just happened to be the story I wanted to write. I have another that I am working on much more slowly, that is the farthest thing from Chick-Lit. I am an avid reader. I love to read almost anthing. I love romance and drama, but also have a degree in Literature that was nothing more than a labor of love. (I already had a degree and was ready to graduate...) I too like the idea of strong women making their own choices, and their own lives.
It's less impressive as it sounds, I think! I had some romance stories published in 'Loving' magazine, and there was a slight flutter around me and I was invited to talk on Radio 5 (UK). But it fizzled out pretty sharpish as I got older and lived life rather than wrote it. I've always wrote, off and on, but not with that kind of dedication. Like I said - I was a stupid girl!
I think it takes such discipline to write poetry. I went through a stage when it was all I could write, but I'm too verbose! Congrats on making the transition! _________________ If I don't write it down my head will explode.
Well, I don't write ONLY chick lit. I'm one of those people who can just write anything and everything no matter what is the genre or the characters.
What made me write in the first place... it wasn't a need to write. I didn't wake up one day with a PLOT. Writing was therapy for me, and was started in the elementary. I had to write, because I had an OCD of compulsive lying, and someone figured that to make me stop dishing out lies every time I opened my mouth, better just make me write the lies and speak the truth. Soon it became a habit - now I can't lie anymore just as I can't stop writing for extended periods of time. Not exactly healthy, but at least I can say I'm honest.
I don't tell this to people who know me IRL, because I do feel some shame because of my reasons. Especially when I hear people talking how they have went through this and that for the sake of their love of writing. Not that I don't love it; I do now. I have for years. But in the beginning I hated it, and thought of it as a liability the adults had forced me to do just to make me pay for my sins *sweatdrop*
Chick lit is one of my favorite genres, because it's so free and light. Romance and good humour are in my opinion the main things in a chick lit. And I love 'em ^_^ _________________ Everyone’s entitled to be stupid, but you’re abusing the privilege.
You shouldn't feel ashamed. We all have different motivations for writing, and no one is any more deserving than another. _________________ If I don't write it down my head will explode.
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I've always wrote, off and on, but not with that kind of dedication. Like I said - I was a stupid girl!
Not that I don't love it; I do now. I have for years. But in the beginning I hated it, and thought of it as a liability the adults had forced me to do just to make me pay for my sins *sweatdrop*
Chick lit is one of my favorite genres, because it's so free and light. Romance and good humour are in my opinion the main things in a chick lit. And I love 'em ^_^
We all have different motivations for writing, and no one is any more deserving than another.