Tuesday 10 June 2014

Who inspires (nags) me to write?

June 10

What (or who) inspires you to write the most?

The answer to this question is a fine line between nagging and inspiring. And by nagging, OF COURSE I mean encouraging.

That's what I'm taking for this question anyway. I mean, I've spoken about other writers that inspire me, plus I've spoken about the inspirations for my characters, and I'm taking this question to mean who supports me through my writing. Encouragement is inspiration in this case.

If we're not talking encouraging inspiration, the answer is me. The stories in my brain inspire me to write. I can take credit for that. I will take credit for that.

Getting it onto paper though - that takes encouragement and support. I have LOTS of that.

I've had tons of encouragement and support since writing the novel. People who helped edit, people who were my test readers, friends and family who haven't read it, but have more confidence that I'll get published than I do myself.

There are two people who have been encouraging me from the start.

Actually, Nehal has been encouraging me since before the novel. It feels like she's been encouraging me since the day she met me. I used to do a little blog while I was living in Korea about funny things that happened or about my life in general. I didn't take it seriously, and I'm pretty sure I ALWAYS forgot to check for mistakes, but I did it to keep friends and family in my life loop. Even then, when it was the only writing I did, she kept reminding me that what I was blogging would make excellent short stories.

Nehal has now been in my last three writing prompt questions posts. Obviously I pick great friends!

She sends me links for writing, she encourages my writing, and she REMINDS me that I should be writing.

In fact, before she met Clint, I'm pretty sure that's what sold her on him. The fact that he nagged me to write.

Which brings me to my next writing inspirer.

C. Plain and simple, he constantly asked me how my writing was going, if I had written, and how many pages.

I had started writing my novel before I met him, and probably didn't tell him right away. (I didn't really tell anybody until I was about 100 pages in). He found out before that, obviously. I just mean, I didn't share this information on our first date. I don't remember when we spoke about it. The second he knew about it, he was asking how I was doing. I remember when he was back in Ontario, and I would tell him about my day. His response would sometimes be, "But, did you do any writing?" I've never had that before.

He was also the first person to read it. He asked to read it before I had a lot done, and it was honestly, one of the scariest things I've done. I can send it to Nehal, no problem. She gives great feedback, and usually has positive responses. Sending it to C was harder. I know he's honest (not that Nehal isn't -he's just more blunt), and I know this wasn't his type of writing. It was nerve wracking, and I was pretty happy when I got a positive response from him.

I've never really had a boyfriend read and take seriously my writings - especially fiction. In fact, the first one (from A LONG TIME AGO) would read my short stories and have nothing but negative comments and changes. I always kind of thought, it wasn't so much trying to help as trying to influence and pretend to be helping. I might be wrong. 

However, the rare time C suggested a change, I did trust what he was saying, because he had my best interest in mind, and didn't often try to change anything. He also loves to read which makes me incredibly happy.

Those two are my inspirations to keep me writing.

If you've learned ANYTHING from this post, it's that nagging works. (or bribes).

Also: wine inspires me to write, but that's part of the bribes.



  

And as always:
Most of my ideas are coming from http://erinisawriter.blogspot.ca/2014/03/march-24th-looking-forward.html It's leads to another blog where I found the ideas. My April onward details start with that post.

©ErinLeahMcCrea All photos I share on my blogs are my own, please Ask Me For Permission Before Using Them.

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