Literary agent Nathan Bransford posed this questions to his readers: why do you write? Here's my answer:
My own personal character has been heavily influenced by the works I read as a child and a young man. Books have a way of reflecting and crystallizing real life, and our favorite characters are often foils to ourselves. I write not so much to change the world (though that would be nice), but to hopefully help others shape themselves into the people they want to be -- as my favorite authors helped shape me into who I wanted to be.
On the other hand, one of the main reasons I write is simply to provoke a response. If I can make people laugh, or cry, or look at something in a new way, I've been successful. Novels are entertainment, education, and sometimes even catharsis. For the author as well as the reader. But mostly, I write because it's part of who I am.
PS - In other news, I am quite busy on a writing project, which is why I haven't been blogging much. I hope to be back soon!
6 comments:
Yay! He's back!!
That's all I have to say, right now. :)
Haha, thanks! :)
I suppose I'll talk to you in a week or so, when YOU officially get back.
I think my original attempt to leave a comment got eaten somehow, so apologies if this turns up twice.
Good that you have been writing, bad that you haven't been blogging, because I really enjoy your posts! (I'm one of those lurkers who never comments ... sorry).
I don't know if you have read The Child That Books Built, by Francis Spufford? It is all about how the books we read as children enter into our consciousness. Really good.
Thanks for commenting! It's always nice to hear from the lurkers. :)
I've just hit a milestone in the writing work, so hopefully I'll be blogging a bit more.
I actually have not read The Child That Books Built. I'll have to check that out -- thanks for the tip!
:) Yeah, well... As you might have noticed... I lasted ONE DAY on my LJ-break. Heh.
Yeah, I noticed. I wasn't going to point that out, though... :)
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