Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Do We Change as Writers?

When you first had an inkling you wanted to write, did you know what you wanted to write? Was it clear even then what you were drawn to?

The Uses of Slime Mould
Photo by justbecause

I wanted to write romance novels since I was about twenty years old. And I still do! That hasn't changed, but other things have. Over the years, I've learned more about myself and naturally want to express what I've learned through my writing.

When I joined a local writing group, I began writing short stories. The group opened my mind up to many different aspects of writing, including non-fiction pieces and poetry. I'd never considered writing poems before, and I probably will never be much of a poet, but it's fun to play around with.

The books I read tend to influence my writing direction the most. For years I've been drawn to historical novels. I read tons of non-fiction about American history. However, I don't limit myself. I read classics, biographies, and obscure magazines to open my horizons. What do I read the most? Romance novels, of course!

Berry Heart on Pink
Photo by pinksherbet

What about you? Are you still writing what you originally wanted to? Or have you changed? It's okay to change. Although I couldn't imagine writing anything but romance novels when I first started, I find the creative challenge of writing shorter pieces keeps me fresh.

Join me on Friday. We'll be taking a look at how our favorite authors influence us.

And...

Write Already! It's Wednesday!

4 comments:

  1. Saw your link on Camy's blog and thought I'd stop by. Very nice post! My writing has changed over the years. I started by writing category romance. But am now writing historical fiction. Since that's what I love to read, I've been naturally drawn to write it.

    ReplyDelete
  2. So glad you stopped by, Jody. Isn't Camy's blog wonderful? I'm continually amazed by her great posts.

    I'm drawn to historical fiction like a moth to a flame (sorry for the cliche'!).

    Happy Writing! And thanks for stopping by.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Hi again Jill! Thanks for putting the follower gadget onto your blog!! Then I can list a link to your blog on mine and even see when you add new posts! I like easy!

    See you again soon!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Thanks for bringing it to my attention, Jody. I'm always thrilled to find something easy!
    Jill

    ReplyDelete

I love to hear from you!