Long time since I posted in forum.
I recieved a questionaire for appraisals and filled in honest answers on my experiences. Good luck with the QWC forum.
Since my manuscript appraisal I have re-written and am much happier with the end result. I must admit that is as far as I have gone with it. Since, I've joined the Victorian Writer's Group and enjoy their newsletters and input. All a big help to me.
I began a sequel to the first manuscript and came to a stand still half way through? I've been enjoying entering the odd short story competition, all a good learning point.
With terminal incurable illness (which actually got me started with my life dream of writing), farm, animals (needing lots of attention)bookwork and family I've found it difficult to spend many hours writing but when I do I go into another world and forget the time or what's going on around me. Now winter is approaching I know I will spend much more time on the computer doing what I love, writing.
Cheers to all and thanks for all your input Louise.
Chantellie.

Dear Chantellie

How lovely to hear from you again. Glad to hear you're looking forward to writing again. It's lovely to be able to pursue your passion and I do hope you get to the end of the sequel. Do you have any plans to submit book one to publishers?

Do keep us in the loop.

Get published? I don't really think so? Haven't thought that far, just enjoying writing but not sure or confident enough yet to look into publishers. I know that's not a pleasing attitude, I wouldn't know where to start. My life's dream was to start and finish a novel which I have done but never really entered my mind to publish. Now to finish second would be a bonus. Do you know if there are many writers out there like me or do most try to get published? What are their main reasons to write, to be published or for the sheer enjoyment of writing or both? I recently met a lady who loves writing children's stories, she told me she has written many with illustrations (I have seen her art work and seems to me excellent) over the years and has them all placed in files but had never tried to have them published. Do you know if this is a common occurance?
Chantellie.

Dear Chantellie

That's a great question. I'm sure there are heaps of writers out there who do it solely for the pleasure of the process (a pleasure those of us being published need to remember!) and that's so much less stress than submitting and being rejected etc.

Some writers just want to express themselves, for themselves. Others crave sharing their expressions with the world. I'm one of the latter. I used to think it was ego - and I'm sure there's a lot of that in the mix - but now I also think a lot of my drive is communication.

Because I teach writing (as well as doing it), I communicate to writers a lot about writing - the process, the goals, the pleasure and passion of it. But when I communicate to readers through my books, I'm making myself and my process invisible and simply offering them the inside of my mind.

So I think it's a sharing, a communication, a desire to be known but not in a personal way.

I'd really like to hear what other say about this. What they think their motivation is to write - either to be published or not to be published and why.

After reading your reply I realised something, I did most of my writing while having lots of downers and uppers. parts of my story reflected sadness and parts happiness. Guess when i think back, though the novel had nothing at all to do with my own life I was actually writing how i was feeling at the time. I got a fair way through a sequence then came to a halt, now when I think back the time I came to a halt (writers block) it was the time I became busy again, showing more interest in what was around me and less downers. I never thought about it before. When I was a child if I had a bad day at school I would write about it and if I had a good day I would write about that too. Do you know of any one who write with what mood they in at the time?

Hi everyone,

Been a long time posting I know. It's been that kind of year really. I'm calling it the year of transitions (& I don't know of anyone who hasn't had some major ones going on).

I've been thinking on this very question after your email Louise & it's really had me, well, thinking lol. I write like I breathe. I can't not do it. I think the longest I go without writing or telling stories in some form be it creative, journalling, doodling ideas is about 3 weeks these days. This year I finished my m/s finally. Being YA I'm happy with the length (tich under 64K) but I'm over it. Or, rather I think my life is reflecting vividly in my writing. It's disconnected. But that's what editing is for right? I was terrified I was losing my writing mojo as I became more apathetic. Doing a masterclass (as opposed to the YotE run I've just completed) was good. Different faces & exercises & angles. Got it back. I'm wondering what next.

On an emotional level I've learnt the more intensely emotional I am the less I am able to sit and actually write. I freeze up. To thaw I colour in, do some calligraphy, something creative & involving colour anyway.

Now I'm back to why write? If I'm not writing, planning one or something, even if I am I'll talk on behalf of my cat/horse/any animal around me. Always have done it ever since I was a little girl. I write as I love to tell stories. I think if I never get published (debate in our household over the If vs When of that separate issue) I would still be writing, or driving those I live with mad with animal speeches

Nicky, animal speeches! That's so cool. I must go out the back and see if my dog has something I can translate. I am so going to enjoy this