When Did You Know You Wanted to Be a Writer?

Greetings, Speedbo-ers! Myra here. How’s it going? Better than you hoped? Not so great? Either way, if you’re writing, you’re progressing. Even if you write only 100 words today, that’s 100 more than you had yesterday, and they all add up!

If you’ve made it this far, congratulations—you’re almost halfway through Speedbo ’17!

If you’ve made it this far, it’s because you have something to say and you’re determined to get it written.

If you’ve made it this far, you already know you want to be a writer, and you’re committed to making it happen.

But when did you first acknowledge the dream of writing? How did it happen for you? Was it a gradual process? A lightning-bolt epiphany? Or did you just always know?

Taking time to ponder these questions isn’t a waste of Speedbo brain power. In fact, recalling the how and why that made you decide to be a writer can be extremely motivating. Can you remember the thrill of getting those first words on paper, the anticipation as your very own story took shape? 

Right now, when some of us may find ourselves languishing in the “sagging middle” doldrums of Speedbo ’17, we need all the encouragement we can get to keep plugging away until we can type “the end.”

So with that in mind, let’s hear from a few Seekers about when they first knew they were meant to be writers. Read and be inspired!

Ruth Logan Herne: I knew I wanted to be a writer from the time I read my first notable chapter book, "Understood Betsy,” by Dorothy Canfield Fisher. I was probably about eight or nine years old, and I knew I wanted to tell stories like that, just like that! To see Betsy come out of her shell, to watch her grow in so many ways, and to see how well the happy ending turned out... I was totally on board from that day forward. I used to make up stories before that... but once I read a big girl book, I realized I wanted to write them, not just tell them!

Missy Tippens: I discovered I wanted to be a writer after I wrote my first novel. I started the story just for fun, because I enjoyed reading so much. Once I plowed through, writing that book in two and a half months (while nursing a baby!), I was hooked. But, still, it took several years before I found the nerve to say out loud that I was a writer.

Pam Hillman: I knew I wanted to be a writer as soon as I figured out that somebody somewhere got to put those stories on paper so that I could read them. Two distinct memories come to mind. My first grade teacher would put us in a circle and read to us every day. I guess that was quiet time right after lunch. I loved that part of the day. And on another occasion, we had a swap day. I took a small stuffed brown bear that I’d gotten on vacation, but another girl brought a book. The title was The Kitten Twins. I wanted that book SO bad and I got it. Was it a good trade? To me, it was the most wonderful trade in the world. I even named my cats Twinkle and Boo after the kittens in the book. This is the book. It makes me smile just to look at it. :) 

Janet Dean: At the age of twelve, I was writing what I now realize was romance. I would illustrate my love stories, drawing my heroines’ faces in profile and giving them long wavy hair that fell to their shoulders. They all looked alike and beautiful, at least to me. I let some of my girlfriends read my stories. Their interest probably fueled mine. At some point, I must have been embarrassed by my childish efforts and threw them away as none of these stories survive. But from that point on I believed that one day I’d write a book.

Debby Giusti: I thought I was a writer in third grade when I penned a neighborhood newspaper and wrote my first book—a very short manuscript—about seven girls, aptly titled, “We are Seven.” Fast forward to when my children were little. I published a few articles in nationally circulated magazines, then put my writing on hold until years later when I freelanced for a number of magazines. At that point, I considered myself a writer, but when my debut novel, Nowhere To Hide, released in May 2007, I moved from writer to author, which was always the desire of my heart. 

I remember writing my very first story when I was around seven years old. The title was “The Enchanted Prince,” and I can still picture my school desk, the lined notebook paper I wrote on, and the title neatly penciled across the top of the page. I went on to write many stories and poems throughout my school years. The most fun were those never-ending sagas I shared with my closest friends a chapter at a time. One was a takeoff on those Gidget beach movies so popular in the . . . well, let’s not get date-specific. Another was my extremely imaginative version of “The Girl from U.N.C.L.E.” Writing was definitely fun in those days because I was just making stuff up! I suppose I’ve known for most of my life that I wanted to be a writer, but the real validation came in 1985, when I received my very first acceptance letter and check for a children’s short story.

When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? Or, if you’re a reader, can you recall the first book that got you hooked on reading? Share with us in the comments!

Today’s giveaway: I’m excited to announce the upcoming release of A Rose So Fair (Flowers of Eden, book 3)! If you’ve been waiting for the story of spunky farm girl Rose Linwood’s romance with handsome Caleb Wieland, you could win one of the very first copies off the press! To be entered in the drawing, just let me know in the comments. In honor of book 3 in the series, I’m giving away 3 copies!

About Myra: Award-winning author Myra Johnson writes emotionally gripping stories about love, life, and faith. Myra is a two-time finalist for the prestigious ACFW Carol Awards and winner of Christian Retailing’s Best for historical fiction. Originally from Texas but now residing in the beautiful Carolinas, Myra and her husband love the climate and scenery, but they may never get used to the pulled pork Carolinians call “barbecue”! The Johnsons share their home with two very pampered doggies who don’t always understand the meaning of “Mom’s trying to write.” They’re also currently harboring their younger daughter and family (six in all plus a kitty!) as they transition toward their next missionary calling. With grandkids underfoot ranging in age from 14 down to 3, there’s never a dull moment! 

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