Debut Author Interviews

Why do you write?

• Joni Sensel on...Why Write?
• Judy Gregerson on...Why Write?
• Paula Chase on...Why Write?
• Kelly Bingham on...Why Write?
• Carrie Jones on...Why Write?
• S.A. Harazin on...Why Write?
• Laura Bowers on...Why Write?
• Melissa Marr on...Why Write?
• A.C.E. Bauer on...Why Write?
• Heahter Tomlinson on...Why Write?
• Sarah Aronson on...Why Write?
• Sarah Beth Durst on...Why Write?
• Tiffany Trent on...Why Write?
• Eric Luper on...Why Write?
• Rosemary Clement-Moore on...Why Write?

Why do you write?

It sounds selfish, but I write first and foremost to help me understand life. It’s taken me a number of years to realize that I’m mostly telling MYSELF stories. But that’s why I lose interest in a writing project if I know too far in advance how it will end… because if I’m too certain of the answers to the thematic questions, I no longer need to ask and explore them.

Communicating with others — reaching out, touching, find common ground, and understanding another person — is a second important reason for me. Whether reading or writing, there are few feelings cooler than that, “YES! That’s exactly how it seems for me, too!” reaction.

Why do you write?

I write because I have something to say that I think others need to hear. The problem with that is that when I don’t have something to say, I don’t write. I often wish that I was like a lot of writers I know who can just sit down and write a story because they like to write stories. I’d probably be more prolific if I saw writing as something other than a way to tell the world something I believe they need to hear.

Why do you write?

Writing is my favorite form of communication. I’m able to better express myself when it flows from my fingers. I write to get things off my chest, share what makes me happy, purge myself of things that make me sad. I write for many reasons.

When it comes to my novels, I write because these are the type of stories I would have loved as a young reader. Writing fiction is like day dreaming, for me. So it’s as much an escape for me as I hope it will be for my readers.

Why do you write?

Because I want to. And I don’t always want to, so I don’t always write. But it’s part of my life and who I am and what I do…among many other things. I can’t see abandoning it entirely, even when I get frustrated and need a break, it’s always just a break. I love to tell stories and make sense of the world around me. Writing helps me do that.

Why do you write?

It’s fun.

I don’t know how not to.

Why do you write?

I think I write because I have a story I want to tell, and it is something I feel passionate about. Writing also helps me to understand the world. I feel good when I write.

Why do you write?

Sometimes I have no clue. Especially if I’m struggling with insecurity and self-doubt over a manuscript that feels completely whacked. Or if I’m overwhelmed with editing and I think of how there’s a thousand other saner things I could be doing at the time.

But, there are those rare and wonderful moments when I’m elated over finally figuring the story out. Or when the stars align and I feel as though a scene I’ve completed is brilliant. Or when I’m so in love with my characters and I can’t wait to tell their story. It’s because of these moments that I write. (I just wish there were more of them!) Plus, this is the path God pointed me down, so who am I to say no?

Why do you write?

A. Ms Muse tells me stories, so I write them down.

B. It keeps me closer to sane.

C. I enjoy it.

D. I believe/hope that I have something to say.

Why do you write?

I like playing with language and telling stories. Writing lets me do both.

Why do you write?

To me, writing feels like joining a great conversation, where you can enjoy what other people have to say and make your own contribution. Books have given me so much pleasure through the years that I hope to share some of it with new readers.

Why do you write?

As a kid, I was a compulsive liar. I always wanted to be someone else. Later, I turned to story telling. In performance, I became that character. As a writer, I am able to explore character further. My favorite part about reading: Books offer easy access to the minds of other people.

I enjoy the process of writing. The ups and downs of discovery. It has been a really interesting transition, as I see my process becoming product!

Why do you write?

1) I write because it makes me happy. Ask my husband — if I haven’t written lately, I get cranky. Also, writing is the one thing that when I’m doing it, I don’t feel like I should be doing anything else.

2) I write because I want my writing to make other people happy. Books have given me so much joy throughout my life. I love the idea of being able to give someone else that kind of joy, to transport someone out of their own worries for a few hours, to make them laugh or even just smile.

3) I write because it’s the closest thing to magic that I know of in the world.

Why do you write?

What Sarah Beth Durst said.

Why do you write?

As a kid, I wasn’t the most outgoing person. People who know me now might have trouble believing that, but it’s true. I warn you to watch out for the quiet ones. They have a lot to say and a lot of it rattles around in their heads. I spent the earlier part of my life fantasizing about what I wanted to say and crafting responses to things I was afraid to react to. As a result, I have this odd ability to work out entire scenes in my head to the smallest detail. One of my writing strengths is my dialogue and I am certain this is where it comes from.

As an adult, I’ve learned to use this skill to craft scenes in my stories. I develop a few characters, put them in an interesting situation, and see where they lead me. And now, if I don’t write these scenes into a coherent story, they keep niggling at me and keep me up at night.

I suppose in short, writing for me is a release of all that creative energy that builds up. As I grow as a writer, writing becomes more and more necessary.

Why do you write?

I write because there is nothing better than putting your daydreams on paper. There were so many things I wanted to do or become when I was a kid (Viper pilot on the Battlestar Galactica, Dragonrider on Pern, girl detective like Nancy Drew.) So I wrote stories about characters who I could identify with—not all of whom bore an embarrassing resemblance to myself—doing the things that I imagined. [These were written on notebook paper in #2 pencil and no one ever saw them; it was much later before I heard terms like “Fanfiction” or “Mary Sue”]

Then I figured out that it was even more fun to come up with your own worlds and scenarios, and to become, for the space of a book, a character who was completely different from yourself. But to me, writing is still the ultimate role-playing experience. It’s everything I love about acting, but I don’t have to stay on a diet or worry about stage makeup giving me zits. :-D