I've been writing for a while now, and over the years I've gotten a lot of
inquiries as to why I do what I do. What my motivations are and how do I stick
with it when writer's block strikes. Was there ever a point that I regretted my
career choice? Do I wear pants while working? (Seriously. Real question!) The
list goes on and on.
It may seem strange, but there's really no easy answer to these things as there
are a multitude of reasons I write. The reasons that I love my job outnumber the
cups of coffee I consume in a week. And trust me what I tell you, that's a LOT.
So today I'm just going to list a few. Three simple reasons that being a writer
is the perfectโthe onlyโoccupation for me. I guess you could say I found my
profession soul mate.
1. Always be yourself, unless you can be Batman. The sad and
simple truth is that I can't be Batman. For one, I'm too poor. Batman has all
those cool toys, and I'm sure they donโt come cheap. I can't even fathom what
the cost of maintaining the Batmobile must be. Plus, I'm not sure I could pull
off the tights. So, I'm just me. Someone who loves to tell stories. Quirky and a
little off center. The good news is, these things lend themselves very well to
the writing profession. I donโt think this is a career path for the faint of
heart. Or the completely sane.
2. Total world dominationโwithout ever leaving my house. I've
had a wide variety of jobs over the years. I've been everything from a Real
Estate agent and manicurist, to an equestrian riding instructor and
telemarketer. While some of those jobs were fun (some, not so much) they didn't
pander to my control freak side. Now I hold the fate of entire worlds in my
hands. Civilizations rise and fall, slaves to my will! *evil laugh*
3. My head is a trippy place. It's like
Alice in
Wonderland met
Inception and decided to go full throttle on Candy
Land in a take no prisoners kind of way. Seriously. It's scary in there and it
gets pretty crowded. I love to write, sure, but more than that, I have to write.
My favorite quote, one by Lord Byron, sums it up in perfect simplicity.
"If
I don't write to empty my mind, I go mad."
What about you? What's your profession soul mate?
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