Because this wanted out

[annathepiper]

I write because my head, like the Tardis, is much bigger inside than out.

It contains multitudes. It spans civilized nations and uncharted regions, ancient realms and vibrant young spacefaring cultures. Heroes live in it, and so do rogues, and sometimes as the same being. Elves, dragons, and aliens all vie for my attention. There are mysterious happenings. There is treachery. There is romance. My heroines wield blaster and bow, sword and gun, flute and mandolin and guitar with equal proficiency. They will go toe-to-toe with my heroes when it comes to saving the universe.

I write because I love words. Words like 'luminous' and 'lambent' and 'obstreperous' fill my thoughts with rhythm. I write because I love creating the structure of paragraphs and chapters and plots.

I look at my friends who are writing, and see them exultant. I think to myself, "Why aren't I doing that?" And I write, and it is good, because I have always wanted to write. Now that I am, I feel off kilter when I am not.

As a child, I wrote to escape the world. As an adult, I write to find the best of what's beyond the world and bring it back to share, like cookies. There is too much angst in the world, and if I can't fix it for real people, the least I can do is fix it for my characters. Maybe, at the same time, I will give someone else an idea about how to fix their angst.

I write because there aren't enough women in fantasy and science fiction yet, and because I like magic, music, and ships that go fast through oceans of stars.

I write because I am shy, and words are my refuge and strength.

I look at other books and get annoyed by abuse of the language, or things of which I do not approve happening to characters who seize my fancy. I write because part of me challenges in vexation, "Can you do better?" I look at other books and love them, for Harimad-sol and Dun Lady's Jess and courage imbuing the very air. And I write because part of me challenges in admiration, "Can you do better?"

My head is stuffed to overflowing with stories, and if I don't write and let them out, my characters will never give me a moment's peace. Also, my brain might explode, and that would ruin the inside of my hat.

I write because I can, and I write because I must.

All of these things, and more, are why I write.

Comments

[fleetfootmike.livejournal.com]

*smile*

You phrase it better than I do. I write... because I have stories to tell, and at least in part because I figured that the part of me that occasionally tosses books across the floor while growling "*I* could write better than that" finally ought to put up or shut up. And because stevieannie liked a piece of fanfic I wrote that no-one else will ever see.

[annathepiper]

"Because I have stories to tell."

That's exactly what I said, only a lot more succinct. ;) But then, I have several RP logs' worth of proof that you're way less verbose than I am!

[xionin.livejournal.com]

i certainly couldn't have said it better myself.
thanks for writing this. :]

[annathepiper]

Thank you for reading it. :)

[shikyrie.livejournal.com]

I grok.. writing is good :)

[annathepiper]

*grin* Well, it's good for me, at any rate!

[neutronjockey.livejournal.com]

You should pick up THE MIDNIGHT DISEASE- By Alice Flaherty. It's a great book ( a little on the neuro-geeky-side) about hypergraphia and the creative processes of the frontal lobe.
-=Jeff=-

[annathepiper]

Cool, thank you for the recommendation. :)

[framlingem.livejournal.com]

(from a presentation I gave in my "Personality Psych" class - the assignment was to pick something that defines you)

"I've always loved words. If you add a letter, you get worlds, and I think that's cool."

And dude, Harimad-sol. *love*

[annathepiper]

*beam* I (heart) Harimad-sol. Tall and blond and never quite fitting in, and she had the coolest horse, and her name alone was beautiful.

Also, Corlath. Mmmmmmmmm, Corlath. A fine, shining example of a truly swoonable fantasy novel hero!

[framlingem.livejournal.com]

Also the bathroom. The blue one. With the tiles. I want that, sans attendants.

Corlath is SO swoonable, yes.

But my favorite character (whose name ironically escapes me, damn it) is the older guy who took her away and taught her to ride.

[annathepiper]

He too was a fabulous character! First of the Queen's Riders! Though I must admit I can't remember his name either. ;)

*goes and looks*

Mathin!

[framlingem.livejournal.com]

Mathin! That's it! (My books are over a thousand kilometres away. Woe is me.)

I was thinking "Maturin? No, that's 'Master and Commander'. Matrim? No, that's 'The Wheel of Time'. Matthias? Nope, 'Redwall'."

You know you read too much when...

[annathepiper]

Me, I kept wanting to think 'Mathyn' or 'Mathryn', both of whom are names I know from Two Moons MUSH characters of all things.

However, mmm, Maturin! Though I have to admit I'm more of an Aubrey girl, myself. ;)

[dr-pretentious.livejournal.com]

Yes. All of that. Beautifully put.

There was a book I desperately wanted to read, and nobody was ever going to write it but me.

[annathepiper]

There was a book I desperately wanted to read, and nobody was ever going to write it but me.

Testify, sister! I have a whole lot of stories exactly like that crammed through my cranium. :)

[leian.livejournal.com]

It contains multitudes....
As a child, I wrote to escape the world....
I look at other books and get annoyed...
My head is stuffed to overflowing with stories, and if I don't write and let them out, my characters will never give me a moment's peace...

Agree with you on these counts, particularly the last (manic laughter ensues)

Although there are some reasons I didn't think of, like the fact that there aren't many women in SF&F... I've never considered that before, probably because I mostly read Lackey, Wurts, McCaffrey, just to name a few... *thoughtful*

[annathepiper]

The numbers of women authors in fantasy and SF are going up, I think; there seem to be more these days than I remember as a child, to be sure. Lackey and McCaffrey are big examples of long-standing women authors that have been around for ages now. Vonda McIntyre, Diane Duane, A.C. Crispin... there are a few others I remember being around when I first started getting into SF/F reading. Some of whom were involved in writing for the original Star Trek series, for example.

But I've been seeing more women come out lately in SF, of which I approve. I want to be one of them. :) I want to be Julie Czerneda when I grow up. Or Doranna Durgin, or Sharon Shinn, or maybe Liz Williams, who writes quite the nice SF novel.

Though at the same time... I was also kind of talking about books where the women are the protagonists. This is probably why I tend to favor women on my shelves; women tend to write stories about women. I certainly will take a well-written story with an engaging male protagonist any day of the week, don't get me wrong--Jim Butcher's Dresden Files being a fine, FINE example of this. :D

But still, I tend to want to read me a story about a woman. To get those, I tend to need to read stories written by women.

[leian.livejournal.com]

Hm.. and when I thought of male writers with female protagonist, the first person to come to mind was David Weber and his Honor Harrington series. :thumbs up:

[annathepiper]

Ah, there's a good exception to the rule. I haven't actually read the books, mind you, but that's a fine exception to the rule. :)

[me-fein.livejournal.com]

Wow. What you said. :)

[annathepiper]

*grin* Thank you.