What makes you write/want to write?

[pattricia 582]

I think Stephen Kings great strength as a writer is his characterisation - regardless of how outlandish the scenario in his books, the characters always feel totally human, and its hard not to read his work and feel an attachment to them.

My favourite author is Allen Bennett,who is not to everyones taste,but I will definitely try reading a Stephen King novel.I dont like horror novels at all(they actually make me laugh) but I think I should try different types of reading.

[Annoni_mouse 10]

My favourite author is Allen Bennett,who is not to everyones taste,but I will definitely try reading a Stephen King novel.I dont like horror novels at all(they actually make me laugh) but I think I should try different types of reading.

 

If you are going to read Stephen King, may I suggest you read his earlier stuff, in particular 'The Stand' which is a magnificent book or failing that 'The Deadzone'?

 

I doubt you'll be disappointed with either:thumbsup:

[pattricia 582]

If you are going to read Stephen King, may I suggest you read his earlier stuff, in particular 'The Stand' which is a magnificent book or failing that 'The Deadzone'?

 

I doubt you'll be disappointed with either:thumbsup:

Yes, I will definitely try these two books.

[redrobbo 10]

Are you someone who thinks its kind of nice to write stuff down sometimes, pop it in a story, enjoy it at leisure?

 

No.

 

Or are you compelled, driven, unable to do anything but grab that pen or keyboard and throw down the words and ideas that are clamouring to get out?

 

Er, no again.

 

Are you needing to get your thoughts and ideas out into the world for acknowledgement and discussion?

 

Nope.

 

Or are you just as happy to hoard all your writings up like a squirrel, there for your own consumption and no-one else's?

 

I haven't written anything.

 

I'm fascinated by what makes people write.

 

So it seems.

 

Is it easygoing, enjoyable for most?

 

I don't know, as I stated above, I haven't written anything.

 

Or a compulsion for most?

 

Nope, never been compelled to write anything.

 

I fall under the latter. I write compulsively, for weeks on end sometimes. Then I can go months without being bothered. I have characters and situations in my head, not storylines and plot structures.

 

How does it work for the rest of you?

 

I don't write stories, I tell them.

 

I used to work in a children's home, where I used to get kids in a group to shout out words, and then I would make a story up using each of the children's chosen words. They used to love it.

 

During the passage of time, I've been found reciting poetry I've learned by heart or read from books to children and also groups of elderly people. I can make them laugh or smile, or bring a lump to their throat.

 

I don't write, I talk. I can talk the hind legs off the proverbial donkey! I try and entertain. Few people will make my acquaintance without my attempting to raise a smile on their face.

 

I don't write, but I love language. Children love language. They gobble up words. They love repetition, alliteration, rhyme and rhythm. These are the building blocks of language - and, whatever your age, each of you reading this will still recall, the lyrical jingle from your infancy......'Hickory-Dickory Dock; the mouse ran up the clock'.

 

I've written a few serious work-related articles for in-house newsletters, and once a jocular article for an association. I've written a things on SF to entertain - but it's only an extension of language. But I've never written a short story. I'm actually feeling pretty scared about what I am letting myself in for when I read your exhuberant post Cosywolf. I once wrote a funny spoof on SF - but realised afterwards that it sounded much better read aloud.

 

Maybe I can't write short stories. I don't know. I've never tried it. But, I'm about to find out amongst friendly SF critics. It will be fun. I have no idea what my first attempt will be about. I don't horde reams of unpublished stories, and I don't have any ideas for characters, plots, twists, etc., etc. On reflection, I think I'll submit my entry....... last!

[Jabberwocky 46]

Just write down what youd normally say. Dont try to be flash and authory, just say the sentance in your head as youd say it to someone then type it down. Thats what I do.

[cosywolf 10]

The responses have been very interesting indeed...and have also made me feel a bit of a freak. So no change there:D

 

Jabberwocky's love of the rhythm of the words, the patterns of the sounds (and the way they look written or typed?)...very interesting. Do you read your own and other's work aloud? How about poetry? Do you write or read it? Or do you feel there's an equally important place for the rhythm of language in prose?

 

And Pattricia, you use it almost as a kind of release, by the sounds of it, a load off your mind? Do you find it therapeutic? Do you write of therapeutic things, or can it be anything you write, it's just the act of writing itself?

 

Redrobbo - never mind talking the hind leg off a donkey - which by god you do well, lol, in fact all the legs fall off eventually:P - you also write very long and deliberative posts on here...so doesn't it come as naturally to you as speaking?

[redrobbo 10]

Redrobbo - never mind talking the hind leg off a donkey - which by god you do well, lol, in fact all the legs fall off eventually:P - you also write very long and deliberative posts on here...so doesn't it come as naturally to you as speaking?

 

I can spend an hour or even double that time composing a particular post. I know what it is I want to say, but I spend endless time checking and rechecking, cutting and pasting paragraphs into different positions, deleting, adding, amending, reading it all over again and then again, changing the grammar, checking the spelling, noting if a comma is incorrectly placed, or if a hyphen is required, and then, and only then, when I am satisfied with the finished post, I discover that in the interim a Mod has come along and closed the thread! Aarrgghh!

[cosywolf 10]

I can spend an hour or even double that time composing a particular post. I know what it is I want to say, but I spend endless time checking and rechecking, cutting and pasting paragraphs into different positions, deleting, adding, amending, reading it all over again and then again, changing the grammar, checking the spelling, noting if a comma is incorrectly placed, or if a hyphen is required, and then, and only then, when I am satisfied with the finished post, I discover that in the interim a Mod has come along and closed the thread! Aarrgghh!

 

LOL!

 

That is why I don't post here as often as I would like - it takes me too long. What a fab summary. And so concise - how long did it take you to post it?

[Jabberwocky 46]

I cant really explain the way my brain cell works, I dont read out things aloud and I cant really understand poetry, unless its in plain English then it might as well be written in Japanese, and even if its in plain, clear English I STILL lose patience with it by the middle of the second sentance.

Its the same with song lyrics, I love the music of Gary Numan, but his lyrics? Beyond anything I can hope to understand.

Im not exactly sure how to explain my statement about a rhythm in words, I just type down the words as they come into my head and when I read them back, they have a certain "Tune" to them. I dont intend it or try to attain it, It just seems to happen, maybe Im the only one who sees or imagines it.

As for writing, Im not sure how Im going to go on here, most of my stuff is written down memories with certain embellishments thrown in for humour, but they are only very slight embellishments. All of the things I write about actually happened , god knows how Ill manage if I had to produce a work of fiction. Thats too much like hard work and it takes a special kind of mind that I simply dont have.

[cosywolf 10]

I cant really explain the way my brain cell works, I dont read out things aloud and I cant really understand poetry, unless its in plain English then it might as well be written in Japanese, and even if its in plain, clear English I STILL lose patience with it by the middle of the second sentance.

Its the same with song lyrics, I love the music of Gary Numan, but his lyrics? Beyond anything I can hope to understand.

Im not exactly sure how to explain my statement about a rhythm in words, I just type down the words as they come into my head and when I read them back, they have a certain "Tune" to them. I dont intend it or try to attain it, It just seems to happen, maybe Im the only one who sees or imagines it.

As for writing, Im not sure how Im going to go on here, most of my stuff is written down memories with certain embellishments thrown in for humour, but they are only very slight embellishments. All of the things I write about actually happened , god knows how Ill manage if I had to produce a work of fiction. Thats too much like hard work and it takes a special kind of mind that I simply dont have.

 

So it's when you read them back in your head that you hear the rhythm?

I love reading aloud, particularly when something has an internal rhythm. I can't sing, but I take comfort from being able to find the rhythm in a piece and make it work.

My baby has lots of lovely rhyming books, but there's one that isn't rhyming, just rhythmic, called Horatio Happened...and I adore reading it out loud. It sounds so nice...poor kid, he's probably sick to death of it.

 

"Horatio Happened...under the bed."

[Jabberwocky 46]

Its mainly as Im writing the words too, everything just seems to slip into place like interlocking blocks.

Its horrible trying to explain it because im not sure if it is explainable, and what really ruins the rythm are typos. I make lots and I immediately have to correct them and that really derails me.

Even "normal" sentences, such as the ones I type everyday have, to my mind, that rythm.

[fox20thc 10]

Are you someone who thinks its kind of nice to write stuff down sometimes, pop it in a story, enjoy it at leisure?

Nope

are you compelled, driven, unable to do anything but grab that pen or keyboard and throw down the words and ideas that are clamouring to get out?

Occasionally

Are you needing to get your thoughts and ideas out into the world for acknowledgement and discussion?

Nah

are you just as happy to hoard all your writings up like a squirrel, there for your own consumption and no-one else's?

yes