I have liked writing for so long that I can not remember NOT liking writing. It feels so natural to me that I am slightly shocked to find out that not everyone feels like I do about words and language.
But I was not encouraged to be a writer so it has not been a natural thing for me to actually write and be open about it.
I actually used to have to hide my books in the closet because my mother didn’t like me reading so much. I’ll spare you the details because I all ready talked most of it out in therapy, but it’s been a lot of work to throw open the closet door and say proudly, I AM A WRITER.
So here are a few things that make writers unique. And by unique I mean odd. But I say odd in a way that has me throwing my arms around you saying: ME TOO! ME TOO!
1- We can be passionate about punctuation. Writers actually spend good amounts of time talking about semi colons, exclamation points, and the Oxford Comma. Me capitalizing the later shows I am PRO-Oxford. I’m ambivalent on semi colons because I am not sure how to use them and I am very judicious with my exclamation points.
2- We’re not perfect at everything to do with words. I am not a great copy editor and while I know a lot of grammar and respect it, I can also have some mis-steps. Some are in a rush of writing or even typos, but some– well, I just get wrong. I know the difference for its and it’s, but my typing brain often throws that apostrophe in there when it doesn’t belong. I know my their, there, and they’re, but it’s not like I’ve never put the wrong one in a sentence. The one I can not get is lay, lie, laid. I’ve had it explained to me and read articles on it and I still don’t get it. I also don’t get “por” and “para” in Spanish, but I’ll stick to one language at a time for this post.
3- We all like words, but we don’t like them all in the same way. I don’t really like word games like Scrabble. I don’t like crossword puzzles and never played Words with Friends. But I love games like Password and Taboo which emphasize language or a “play” on language more than word construction. I am not particularly competitive, but if you beat me in Scattergories…
4- We are always writers. It is not something you shut off. Snatches of dialogue that spark an idea, reading a book and editing it at the same time (or admiring its perfection), carrying a notebook to jot down sentences that pop into your head, taking a walk to allow your brain to work through the plot corner you’ve got yourself in… it never ends.
5- I don’t talk about it unless I know you get it. And I’d prefer you not ask me about it unless you get it. Writing for me is so personal and sensitive and precious, I prefer not to “go there” unless I believe you to be a safe person.
What about you? Are you a writer- what did I miss? What are you passionate about and the ways that passion makes you odd unique?
Yes, Charise. I get it! Love this post as it struggles to explain the passion!
You’re one of my safe people, Sherry.
The perfect turn of phrase—whether written by me or by someone else—is as good as really, really fine chocolate. Which is at least as good as—well, you know.
You’re right. That sentence that just moves you. Yep.