It's simple really. I write because I am an extremely internal person. My personality type (well, part of it) is introverted intuitive. I'm also pretty right-brained. For me, the world inside my head is a lot more real than the world outside me. This ends up causing a few problems. (I absolutely hate driving, for example. I have to drive really far behind the person in front of me because of this. In the time it takes me to notice that the car in front of me has its brake lights on, register that something is different, remember what exactly that means, and then translate that into the action of slowing down, a fair bit of time has passed. This is not because I'm an inexperienced driver but because the word outside of myself just doesn't make a big impact on me.)
For the longest time I felt guilty about the fact that I often enjoy reading more than daily living. But I realized that this isn't because the character's lives are so much richer than mine. It's just because reading allows me to experience things in a deeper way than actually living through them might. Reading allows me to access certain emotions and pictures that everyday experience does not.
I want to write because I want to share the world inside me (the world that is more real to me) with other people. I suppose that's true of a lot of writers. When everything around me is quiet I nearly always have a conversation going on inside my head between fictional characters. This is how I process the world, and I want other people to understand that about me through my writing.
Does anybody else feel that way?
However, I must say that there is no emotion/feeling/idea invoked by books that I cannot get out of real life if I think about it in the right way. Still books are the best way.
I must say though, instead of me being extremely introverted as a reason for writing (even though i am decently introverted) I would say it is more because I am an observer. For my whole life I've felt like I was on the outside looking in. And as I look in I see all sorts of connections and problems and, well, things that most people don't seem to see.
Add that to my dramatic mind (which, btw extends into much of my life) and you have a great formula for a writer. At least I hope so because that's really the only thing I can think of currently and I absolutely love it.
I'm kind of the same way. When I was young I used to always create characters in my head, and imagine stories taking place. I created many epic tales in my little brain, and often would exist in those worlds over reality.
When I got older I realized people made money doing that, so I decided to write my stories down.
I don't feel "compelled" to write at all. I just enjoy seeing my thoughts on paper, and sharing them with others.
My friends and family members think I'm a bit of an oddball because of this... ^_^
What matters more to you? The worlds in your head? Or the people that inhabit them? Or the stories that pull it all together? For me it's definitely the characters, and I'm the same way when I read (I'll read the most meandering and pointless novels if they have a character I like in them). But I know a lot of people enjoy world-building, and I expect it also differs from genre to genre...
I tend to create characters long before I create a story for them. There are a few major ones always floating around in my brain, who are well developed in my head, but have yet to appear in writing. I'll spend ages thinking about what they would say in a given situation... and what they'd do in scenes I know will never ever be written. And I can't seem to just write a short story and leave the character at that. They're always going off and doing more of their own thing elsewhere, until I end up wanting to write more about them.
Do you have a few characters you favor more than others, who keep reappearing in your head and in your writing? Or do you come up with new ones for every story?
That, however, is only until the characters are developed... once the character becomes an entity unto him/herself in my mind, I see things through his/her eyes and the scene becomes secondary to the character.
[This message has been edited by Elan (edited March 20, 2006).]
quote:
I'm kind of the same way. When I was young I used to always create characters in my head, and imagine stories taking place. I created many epic tales in my little brain, and often would exist in those worlds over reality.
I still do that Though now I get my imagination down on paper/into a Word document.
Writing for me is a chore, something that I need to do because if I don't I feel... weirded out. Ever since I found out I could write decently well, I've put in the effort to improve and I see the results everday.
I suppose characters are what pop into my head on a normal day. Places have to be inspired by something. In fact, anything physical has to come through inspiration, but anything circumstancial or emotional comes through the everyday process of daydreaming.
Edit: meant INTP.
[This message has been edited by hoptoad (edited March 28, 2006).]
[This message has been edited by hoptoad (edited March 28, 2006).]
Apparently writing is one of the ideal things for an INFJ to do
I don't know why I write. I mean, I do know the direct reason, but I don't know the first reason. If I knew that, I'd know the ultimate reason...and vice versa, I suppose.
For now, I'm content to be working on getting better at it.
Survivior is right ( again )
I am not sure why I write...
[This message has been edited by hoptoad (edited March 28, 2006).]