Why I Write...

I recently read a post by Agent 007 which brought to mind why I write.

Ever since I was a little kid, I've had an overactive imagination. In my imagination, I've done some rather amazing things. I've traveled the globe, been a spy, even done a strip tease or two. But it's unlikely I will ever be a spy. And it's even less likely that I would really want to be one. No comment on the other. Although I like my privacy. But just the same, it's so fun to pretend.

A few years ago, I had a long list of hobbies I wanted to take up. I had an actual list and I meant to do them. Here's a sample of the list:
-I wanted to start taking flight lessons and get my pilot's license
-I wanted to do the formula car experience in Britain (obviously there was a need for speed in there)
-I wanted to go back to school and study criminal profiling
-I wanted to study medicine
-I wanted to participate in police ride alongs (the show cops is a guilty pleasure)
The list went on and on....

My dear hubby, who was then, my dear boyfriend, thought I was loosing my mind. And I did too. Ever the voice of sanity, he suggested I look into doing one or two first instead of tackling them all at the same time. Of course, I was raring to go. Other than for the finances, I had it all worked out.

Then I realized, I didn't want to really DO all of those things. I mean, I'd love to dip my toes in them. But I don't want to be a doctor. I don't want to fly a plane. Shoot, I'm terrified of heights. I had a hard time looking down from the balcony of our tenth floor hotel room.

What I realized is that I loved the adventure I experienced in reading and I wanted to immerse myself in that adventure. And I could. I could write it. I could create people and places and events. I could write about a surgeon and purge the need to study medicine. I could write about a sexy formula car driver and the race circuit all across Europe and travel and experience speed without ever leaving home.

It's one of the best benefits of being a writer. My imagination runs away with me. My goal is to relate that through the words I put to paper (or screen) in such a way that my imagination runs away with the reader too. That's my hope.

What about you? Why did you start writing?

April