When did you know you wanted to become a writer? Was it a childhood dream? Something you arrived at kicking and screaming? Was there a particular trigger when you thought to yourself, “You know, what I really want to be doing is staring at a computer screen on my nights and weekends, inventing worlds and stuff”?
I came to the writing game pretty late. I had taken some short story classes in college, wrote a screenplay in my early 20’s, but never really thought I’d write a novel. I was 25 before I started writing in earnest, on a novel that didn’t work out, and I was 27 when I started JACOB WONDERBAR.
What about you? When did you know you wanted to write?
Art: “Woman Writing a Letter” by Frans van Mieris
Chelsey says
I've been writing my whole life–almost literally–but it was when I was applying to grad school that I really put together the pieces of what I'd been doing my whole life was what I really wanted to do.
Wanda du Plooy says
I knew I wanted to be a writer since school, but I only believed two years ago that I could do it!
Zoe Faulder says
Whole life kinda gal here too. I've been writing stories ever since I could string words together and it was always something I wanted to do … yet here I am working in publishing. Not far off I guess.
Paul Anthony Shortt says
I was about 11 or 12. My parents took us on a short holiday out to the country where we visited this historical centre with information and animatronic shows about celtic myth. The place closed down years ago, but that trip stuck with me.
That was the weekend I fell in love with storytelling.
L.G.Smith says
I started writing poems and short stories in high school, and got hooked when I saw people connect to what I had written. But it was years later before it occurred to me that writing was something I could do seriously.
The English Teacher says
When I was 8, one of my poems was published in our school literary magazine. Ah, the Fame! The Glory! Wow. I felt so cool.
Then, in 6th grade, we had a visiting university student teach a vocab. unit to our class. We were given two lists of themed words (space or vampires) with which to write a story and the promise that this new teacher would read the best story from each category aloud to the class. I chose the vampire theme and won that category. When the teacher read, the whole class laughed in all the right places and I was congratulated in kid-glory at recess.
I was hooked. 🙂
AdamI says
It was something I always wanted to do, but always thought I'd do late in life. Then one day I realized that my mind was just full of ideas, and if I didn't start writing them down I might lose them. That was about two years ago, and I've been practicing and putting down ideas since. I now have a lot of material to work with, though none of it is "done" yet.
James Scott Bell says
My first clue was when I started writing "novels" in second grade, pirate stories, knight stories, illustrated by me (badly). Got into sports, then had my high school English teacher, Mrs. Bruce, see something in me and encouraged me to coax it out.
Studied with Raymond Carver in college, couldn't do what he did, thought I didn't have "it."
Law school.
Some years later I woke up realizing the bug was still there. It had never left. Knuckled down and now, 25 books later, it's still never left.
Matt Sinclair says
I have a distinct memory of a writing assignment in third grade that left me creating a conversation between clouds. I enjoyed it but knew that if I had more time I could make it even better. I got a check-plus-plus on the assignment (basically an A; it was third grade, after all), but I wasn't satisfied. Perhaps I should have known I'd both write and edit.
Rebecca says
Maybe this is cheesy, but I always knew. Or at least, if there was some kind of lightbulb moment, it was too far back for me to remember. But when I wrote my first novel-length story in high school, I realized that if I could finish a project like that, maybe I could publish one, too. We'll see about that.
Dougie Brimson says
I've had 13 books published, co-written a multi-award winning Hollywood movie and still don't think of myself as a writer. Primarily I suspect, because it was never something I conciously set out to do or for that matter, actually enjoy most of the time!
I'm just too lazy to do anything else!
Andrea says
I started writing short stories in the fourth grade. That's when I knew. But it was only yesterday that I decided I just want to write and I don't care about making money doing it. At all. It's more about the art of it and the message.
Summer Frey says
I'm not sure what the impetus was, but I sat down to write my first novel at age 9 and was hooked. The longest I've gone without writing since has only been about a month.
Juliana L. Brandt says
I was building worlds since before I could write. I didn't start writing though until this past year (I'm 23). Writing definitely dragged me to it kicking and screaming, and I'm glad it did.
Ada says
I've been writing since I was little, but never considered it as a career path until I was 16. From that point on, I've been pretty dedicated to my writing goals. Yikes, that's a whole decade now!
MK Chester says
I started reading at age 4 (trying to catch up to an older brother) and started writing stories around age 10. Didn't take it seriously until I was through college, though.
Sierra McConnell says
I was two years old, my parents asked what I wanted to be, and I said "I wanna be an ink pen".
Also, at three and on, all I did was tell stories. At first it was about the familes of bears, bunnies, and cats. Then it sorta compounded from there. I've been a storyteller my entire life. I've always wanted to be a writer.
Never have I wanted to be anything else.
Suzanne says
As early as when I was six years old, I started stringing together words that evolved in stories. I was inspired by the magical world of Enid Blyton and African authors like Chinua Achebe, Camara Laye, Ken Saro Wiwa, Mabel Segun and Kola Onadipe. I've always known that I was going to be a writer. For now I write advertising copy and short fiction. Hopefully someday I'll add author to my portfolio too 🙂
Lisa Kilian says
I wrote a Livejournal. Someone read it and liked it. Thus, here I am. Silly Livejournal.
Eme Savage says
Since I was five or six. I found out people actually MADE books and decided to try it out. My first "book" was called The Purple Planet. It was cowritten by myself and another boy in my class. It was written on loose leaf notebook paper and illustrated in crayon. We stapled it together using the classroom stapler. My best Christmas gift was a little blue typewriter my grandparents gave me when I was ten. I can still remember pleasant way the keys clacked together. The Chronicles of Narnia was my first real exposure to fantasy. I was nine. I knew from that from that point on all I would write is fantasy. I first wrote for my pleasure. Then I found out other people enjoyed what I wrote. I never thought I would actually publish something. But here I am writing launching my first book in July, editing a second book, and writing the first draft of third. It makes me very happy. 🙂
christopherdavidpetersen says
Right after Penthouse Forum told me I had talent… (kidding… or am I?)
I use to write fictional stories about my coworkers. They loved them so much, the asked for more… alas, a writer was born.
https://christopherdavidpetersen.wordpress.com
JenA says
I'd always been told I should write a story on my life. But my thoughts were "Would someone read it?" Plus, I wanted to escape reality not relive it everyday (nights and weekends, too!). So, when I was 31 I had a crazy phone call and when the call ended, I stood there. Thinking about my life, I knew I needed to get stuff out but instead of writing about me I created a character that resembled me in high school and threw in some shapeshifters to make it interesting. Nothing has happened with it yet but that hasn't stopped me from writing.
Seabrooke says
I'm glad you're someone else who came to it late, Nathan! We had creative writing in public school but it was always really structured and forced, and so I never really enjoyed it. But a couple of years ago at age 29 I was struck by the whim to try my hand at fiction… and got hooked. I've always envied the people who develop their interests/passions at a young age.
Mieke Zamora-Mackay says
I always found myself writing something all through my life. A diary, essays, poems, little snippets here and there. I even wrote a knitting and foodie blog for a few years. At work, I write legal stuff all day.
I just never realized that I wanted to be a writer until February 25, 2009.
That was the day I consciously put a pen to paper to write out a story I had in my head.
I've been writing ever since. (Not the same piece though.)
Anonymous says
"When Did You Know You Wanted to Be a Writer?"
When I realized there wasn't much else I could do. And I've always been a storyteller. Never believe a word I say.
Kristin Nicole says
I don't know that I'm a writer (I haven't published anything) but I think for me it started in my teen years when one day sitting on the couch I just wanted to write (poems, anything) and I absolutely love it.
xo,
kristin nicole
Rick Daley says
I've always enjoyed writing. Roughly seven years ago I had an idea for a novel, and I mentioned it to my wife, half-expecting her to tell me I was crazy. She surprised me by loving the idea. Might have something to do with my reasons for marrying her, I suppose.
The Red Angel says
I've always loved writing for as long as I can remember. 🙂 Having a disability has put some major limits on my life, and writing itself is so limitless–it has always been my outlet of expression.
~TRA
https://xtheredangelx.blogspot.com
Gabriela Pereira says
I became a writer in 1st grade, after the Unfortunate Library Incident that Changed My Life. (I wrote about that pivotal moment here.)
Jenn Thorson says
I knew ever since I was about 10 and feel this sweeping sense of inspirational excitement every time I'd read a good book. It was a real "This is what I need to do."
I ended up writing a little mystery novel when I was about 11, and from there most of my summer vacations from school were taken up doing writing projects. Not much came of it until post-college, but I've enjoyed seeing things progress.
Now I'm waiting for response from an agent query on my latest novel– and while I imagine it will be a long road and many queries later, I still enjoy the pursuit of the dream.
Ulysses says
Well, the full story is here, but the reader's digest version is: I read so much I developed brain damage.
Now, when normal people would plunk themselves down in front of "American Idol," I'm compelled to go write something instead.
There's no known treatment.
Munk says
I'm not sure "wanted to" is the best phrase to describe my relationship with writing.
Amber Gideon says
I was pushed into it at work and then I remembered how much I used to enjoy it so I started writing a book.
Jake Henegan says
I wrote a bit of stories here and there and enjoyed creative writing in school, but I never really considered the possibility that I could be a writer.
Somewhere one or two years back, I couldn't live with all the numbers, so I tried writing and never looked back.
Okay, I've looked back quite a few times, but I can never seem to find the stairs again…
Jay says
I knew I wanted to be a writer when I saw that painting at the top of your post just now.
Anonymous says
When I literally learned how to write in grade 3 and I made all the kids laugh…each time I wrote. It took me all my life (58 years) to gain enough confidence to call myself a writer and now I have a 600 page ebook. ISBN is 9781617922848 and it is coming soon on kindle, ipad, nook and sony: A Seed in the Wind by Daystar.
Jen Knight says
When I started and couldn't stop.
Teralyn Rose Pilgrim says
I love this story:
When I was eight, my teacher told us to write a "book." We printed out our books, illustrated them, made covers, got them bound, and put them on the bookshelf to read during reading time. I thought to myself, "I want to do this everyday for the rest of my life." I knew I wanted to be a NOVELIST, not a short story writer or a poet or anything else.
Kitty says
I began writing as soon as I learned to string words together. I believe I wasn't even six years old and I was already writing intense stories of gangsters, murders, and fortune. This was close to 25yrs ago and still I'm writing and now I'm trying to take it to a career.
Megan says
I think I knew in high school and then ran screaming in the other direction until I could no longer deny it. Though I still try and run away.
Melody Valadez says
I didn't know I wanted to be a writer until a children's magazine I subscribed to had their annual "kid-written issue." You could send in artwork, riddles, or stories. I knew I was hopeless when it came to art and very unfunny. So I chose writing by default. I didn't get into the magazine issue, but I found something I could do. Write. 🙂
Barbara Watson says
One year ago, I discovered writing was woven into my soul. I was 40. Late to the party? I don't think so. I'm right on time.
Sean says
I tried to write a horror novel in high school but then some friends came over to play basketball and I forgot all about it.
midnightblooms says
I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. At age 27 I decided I should figure it out.
For months I grew increasingly frustrated and worried as nothing appealed to me. I didn't want to go back to school, but I didn't know what else to do. When I told my husband, he looked at me like I was crazy and said, "You are a writer," like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
He was right. I don't know why I had dismissed it, but I've been writing ever since.
Hillsy says
My Dad had is sperm genetically adjusted so I'd be predisposed to a writing career.
So HA!…I trump you all!!!!
Susan Antony says
As a child I use to write stories for entertainment, and my sister always encouraged me to write, but I didn't get serious about writing until the end of my fourth decade.
Kelli says
I wrote my first story in 1st grade. Wanted to be an author pretty quickly. But then thought that much writing would be too hard. Downgraded to journalist, then advertising. I'm in advertising as a writer now and working on my 3rd attempt at a book.
I guess you could say I knew where I wanted to go but I took the scenic route.
David Gaughran says
I was always scribbling something, since I was a kid.
But I only got serious a few years back. I had just quit a good job and decided to go travelling around the world, and had a vague notion of writing something along the way.
I spent a couple of months writing the fake memoir of a failed hand model, when I realised it was one joke that I was beating to death again and again.
But one door closes and another one opens. I was on a bus to Guayaquil, Ecuador, and I was reading the travel guide and stumbled across a story from the independence war that grabbed my attention.
Pretty soon I was spending a lot of time online, taking notes, trying to figure out this little mystery. I didn't realise it, of course, but I had already been infected with something.
Actually, I tried to give the idea to another writer friend, I sat her down in a cafe and explained her the whole thing. She listened patiently for a couple of hours while I laid out the whole book, all the characters, threads, twists, everything, then tried to palm it off on her!
Luckily, she knocked some sense into me and made me write it. It all went from there.
Dave
Sara says
Didn't know I wanted to be a writer, just was one. Told detailed stories to my parents when I was 2-3. Got my first typewriter when I was 5. Had my first (and only) play produced in the 4th grade. Decided when pondering careers I wanted to be a writer because I couldn't settle on any one thing and writing would allow me to explore anything and everything. I'd rather write than speak most days.
h says
I'm 17 and I started writing before I could write….in that I had quite bad dyslexia so instead of reading I woul make up stories to match the pictures and have been hooked ever since. My first 'novel' I wrote in year six, aged 9, my first real, chapter novel above a hundred pages aged 12 and I currently have a real nove that I feel is just about ready to sen out and a secon one I'm currently working on 🙂
i suppose i've always known but i've developed over time!