Wednesday, April 2, 2008

How, When and Why I Started Writing

The wonderful Rachael Blair has a blog about how she started writing and asked how we all started. Now normally I’d write it to her post but it is such a long story I didn’t want to use up too much of her blogging with my answer. Click on the link and go and read about Rachael’s journey.

Why I started writing. I have no idea, because I hated English with a passion. I started reading Time Romance mag's in my teens and loved the stories. Then I read an article I think it was by Barbara Taylor Bradford about her writing romance novels and thought I could do that, yeah right. I’d also been reading Mills & Boons novels on and off for a while, one of Margaret Way’s was the first M&B I’d read. I loved reading about the Australian outback; Lindsay Armstrong was another I read a lot of at the time. I still have to pick up one of Margaret’s novels if I see a new one available.

When I started well that’s the long part. After reading the article by Barbara, I started my first story. It was about a girl who finds her fiancĂ© in bed with her sister on their wedding day. Very dramatic. Back then in my early days of writing having a computer was a luxury, and not one that we could afford. (Heavens I think my age is showing now.) So I wrote long hand, had my exercise book and trusty pen and would spend hours writing. When I think about it, I wrote much the same way as I do today in that I had three stories going at once. One of my other stories was about a girl who after receiving her first modelling job arrives home to find her long lost father standing in her kitchen talking to her mother; he has also brought his step-son with him. (I might have to revisit that one.) Of course I don’t have said exercise books any more, it a fit one day when I was sure I’d never write again I throw them out. Bad move, very bad move. Anyway that’s getting a head of myself. The third story was about a woman who along with her husband and children moves to the outback to work on one of the large cattle stations. The husband dies in a plane crush (very sad), and cattle station owner steps in to help her through her grieving process, he had lost his wife a few years before hand. So you can see what was going to happen here. Really wish I hadn’t thrown those books out.

Anyway, we moved over to the farm and between getting said farm sorted out, children and school, working, in-laws separating, parents illness and so on, my writing got pushed to one side. Well really it got thrown in the bin. I started tracing my family history and thought it would be great if I could write about my ancestors and their battles to survive in a new colony. I think that was when it all started to happen. I’d allowed myself to dream of writing again even though I did put it off for a few more years.

About four years ago I started getting these mutterings in my head; have to say at first I thought I was going bonkers. I started writing down what they were saying; it was just bits and pieces of things nothing that I could put my finger on and say, “oh now I know what to do”. If that makes any sense at all. Then about two year ago it all come through like a title wave. It was like I opened the gates to a dam and in came all this information. I joined the Romance Writer’s of Australia six months later and as they say the rest is history.

You wouldn’t believe it, I’m going to do a Book in a Month in June with some of my RWAustralia friends, now I was going to finish a couple of my MS’s I have going ATM. But nooooo last night while watching T.V. I had this couple come and visit, seems they have a story to tell. Quiet a nice couple been best friends for years. Had me writing a five page sketch on them. A bit rude pushing in like that, but what can I do? They’ve blocked my other couples until I’m finished with their sketch, so I’ll go with the flow and let them have their time or until the other’s get feed up with waiting and push their way back to front and centre. So what about you? How did you start your writing journey?

Now you can see why I didn’t leave this on Rachael’s site. I ramble too much, anyway my son is here for a visit so I had better go and spend some time with him, I don’t get to see him anywhere near as much as I’d like too.

Bye for now.
Hugs
Sandie

10 comments:

Sussan Marz said...

Thanks for sharing your story. Isn't it interesting how we all started so differently?

BTW, I like your widget countdowns. Looks like you'll need one for the June BIAM. I've joined the loop too so you'll be hearing from me again.

Enjoy your son's visit!

Rachael Blair said...

Sandie - loved your story. I've been reading loads of journey stories this morning and am so glad I started this off. I think it's wonderful to see that for so many of us, writing is something that's always been there and eventually it just stood up and refused to be ignored any longer!

Ain't RWA great though...

Amanda said...

Fabulous story... will leave my own when I have more than a couple of moments to steal a look at my favourite blogs! ;-)

Amanda

Rachel.C said...

YOU THREW THEM IN THE BIN?!?!?
OMG! What were you thinking?
Never mind, I can guess. Thought about it myself a few times.
Love the ideas though, you'll have to write them down to get to at a later date.
Love ya!

Sandie Hudson said...

Okay so it wasn't one of my more brighter moments !!! Humm do I have many bright moments? Need to think on that one. ;-)

Anyway girls, thanks for stopping by. Rach it is so good to read how everyone else began the writers journey, very good topic to have us all ponder over. Thank you for coming up with the idea. :-)

Okay I'm off to the doctors, got to put the car in for a service, it's only 10,000km over it's service check. Boy am I going to be in some trouble.

Catch ya later.
Hugs
Sandie

Devon Gray said...

I started out writing poetry, dark, dark poetry, when I was a teenager. It was always in first person and most of it was about unrequited love. This set me up well for what I do now. The novella I'm getting ready to send out is in first person, and I've been told I've found my voice. Of course, my voice would be one of the most difficult types to sell. Sigh. Anyway, if all works out the editor told me I should aim for 3-4 novellas and two full length ms a year. SO, thanks for all the great book ideas- I can use them! LOL- Just kidding, of course! Kinda...

Diane said...

I thought I left a comment here yesterday. Where did it go?

I have got a drawer full of old notebooks including the really crappy novel I wrote in year 9 (think Charlie's Angels go undercover at a school). I don't dare chuck any of it out, just in case somewhere in there is an inkling of a good idea.

This is been most fascinating reading other people's stories. I may blog about my early non-serious writing life soon.

Sandie Hudson said...

Yes Diane please do log about your earlier writing, I'm loving finding out about everyone.

I'm not sure what happen with your post yesterday, I don't remember seeing it.

Hugs
Sandie

Sandie Hudson said...

Okay left the b out of blog so I meant to say Diane please blog about your earlier writing.

Hugs
Sandie

Unknown said...

HGi Sandie, great story. Hey, believe it or not, but your not the only one who threw away an ms. my very first book i was halfway through. I thought I was a joke and tossed it. Eek. Never mind. thanks for visiting me.
see you again and happy writing
kez