And why do you?
Last night I watched Saving Mr. Banks with my girls.
Loved it.
But it made me wonder, why do most strong writers put words on paper? Did he have happy childhood? Did she have an awkward one? Did one something awful happen? Too many? Not enough?
I think I know why I’m stuck at age 12/13.
We lived in Longwood, Fl. My beloved grandmother had been in a car accident and her back was broken. She was in a hospital in Daytona Beach. And my sister was ill and in a hospital in Orlando. We drove to both every day. Without fail. I was in school and my best friend (who shows up in nearly every novel I write in some form or another) sat in front of me in math. One day she turned around and looked me right in the eye. “You’re not the adult,” she said. “You shouldn’t be going to these places every day. You’re too tired. You can’t do your work.”
I couldn’t answer. I was the adult. I wrote the checks, cleaned the house, did the laundry. And drove way too far to visit my nana and my sister, every day.
Saving Mr. Banks reminded me of that.
Made me thankful for my experiences.
And glad I get to write.
What helped fashion you as a writer?
Throwing Up Words 