When did you know you wanted to pursue writing?

[Jackie_Shaeffer45]

For me, I knew I wanted to write when I was 4. I wrote a story about my brother becoming a monster and terrorizing the family. The only way to save us all was by shooting him with the garden hose. Not my finest work but we all start somewhere. When did you know you wanted to write?

[Katherine E Wall]

I can't remember not writing. I used to scribble on a page, thinking I was making words, and then 'read' my story to my parents. Since, I was actually reading by the time I was four, I assume this was before then. I do remember it though, as I did it frequently.

However, my first real drive to write began a little later. A favorite great-great-aunt died when she was 92. I was nine. I wrote my a poem the day of her funeral. I couldn't understand why the sun was shining, and the poem is about how the sky, the whole world should be crying. I still have that poem. It is the earliest piece of writing I kept, although it also seemed to open the floodgates.

There is more to that story, though. My great-great-aunt was a spinster (in the vernacular of her day). Yet, shortly after her funeral as we went through her meagre possessions, my mother picked up a statue of Mary, which my aunt had treasured and never allowed anyone to touch. We were surprised to hear it rattle. My grandmother pulled back the felt on the base of the statue and a gold wedding ring fell out of its hollow interior. You can imagine how it inspired questions and fuelled my imagination. Over the years, I played with the whys regarding that ring, and it showed up in several stories. After that, I realized we never really know anyone and their stories, but there is always room to imagine.

[Jasper]

For me it was in tenth grade. My art teacher made us write descriptions for each of our drawings. Then she'd say, "A picture is worth a thousand words, so write a short story the best that you can." I think after the eighth short story was when I really wanted to write a novel and get it published. Of course I knew I wasn't a good writer, and I needed to learn a few things, but I promised myself by thirty I'd get a book published.

I've got plenty of time, and I've improved a lot since then. I've also been doing a lot of research on the business and the literary agents. My book is almost complete and I'm excited--and a little nervous--about the process of being rejected or accepted after sending out query letters.

[KLyons1]

I don't remember *not* wanting to write ...

[deanfromaustralia]

My Grade 3 teacher Mrs. Furnell, I credit with firing my love of writing. Ever since I received my first ever Purple Dragon sticker, I was hopelessly hooked.

[Sifuentes24]

I was in the 2nd grade and I did a report on Edgar Allen Poe. My teacher had told me that it was too advanced for my grade level, mind you: marginally. I was really offended and embarrassed however, instead of clamming up I decided to try to crank out as close to a perfect draft every time I worked on something. The next year I came to the realization that words are endless and that my life's work ( in my head) was to try to express things as accurately as i felt them ALL THE TIME!
Anyway, I've written my good and bad. I've had my "ah-ha!" moments and I find that I have a knack for being able to pin point what other people try to get across. I think the ability to read people and articulate how they feel is the propriety of characterization. Even if what you write is grammatically incorrect or obvious or cliche, giving people a medium to plug into and say "YES! That#s exactly it," or "That character could be Dick or Jane," is one of the pillars of literature.

[Shellby85]

I've tried to write since I was about 8 I've never gotten really far with it because I always hate what I write! A few years ago I did start a book that my sister in law loved and that's still sitting on the computer waiting for me to get back to it but I've found it hard to continue with that one. Since then I've started and discarded so many! I will get there one day. I live making new characters and making them how I want them to be. Just making up a person is so interesting

[SCRubio]

I've always made up stories in my head, though didn't write them down until I was older. When I was a kid it didn't feel like authors were regular people, they seemed so much bigger than that. I wrote my first completed story when I was five for a Reading Rainbow contest, but it wasn't until I was in seventh grade that I thought, "this could be what I do. I could write books." After I attended a summer program for creative writing in 2008, I knew this was all that I wanted to do and get better at. I think the best part was it really boosted my self-confidence in my writing ability and convinced me to pursue it as a future career.

[Yukiora 24]

It came naturally to me. But the tricky thing is to try and convay what u see in your head to the reader. I'd writen stories since I was in middle school if you compare those to what I write now the jump is humongous!

[Ncuffee21]

At a very young age I took an interest in writing. However, I was never bold enough to pursue it as a career. I still write as a pastime. Keeps your mind flowing with ideas.

[SidnayC]

When I saw how much reading could change my life... I also wanted to change someones life in the same way

[writerbugg]

My desire to write is almost cliché. I was in junior college and still unsure about what kind of degree I wanted to pursue. Then I had to take a low-level creative writing class. I absolutely loved it. I was one semester away from my liberal arts degree, so this revelation came at the best time. I went on to pursue a BA in English and have been trying to write on the side as I'm not keen on being a starving artist. Lol.

[ipekbunsal]

I guess when I started going to elemantary school? Not at first but we had homeworks like writing an essay I love it ever since. And even though I have not written my own stories for a while, I know that somehow someday this'll be what I do.

[polindsay]

I knew when I was in a very dark place in my life and the only thing I could do to make me feel better was to write. It was my therapy. Now I want to give back and help others that are going through hard times get a little bit of comfort, even if it's temporary.

[RussetDivinity]

I've always wanted to write. I grew up being read to and started doing little fanfics in my head. When I was seven, I pretended to be Harry Potter's twin sister and made up stories about our adventures. Even earlier, I made up stories about how I was a tree spirit in Narnia. I still do fanfics, though I like to think they're better than the ones I wrote back then.

As for original stories... well, I told my parents I had fairies living in my wall, and I liked to come up with stories where the protagonists were always in danger for their lives.