Ever since I was young, I have always wanted to be a writer. I’ve always been a big reader. At a young age, my parents read to me every night. I grew up in the Shire, went to school at Hogwarts and traveled the yellow-brick road in Oz. I’m still a voracious reader to this day--Brandon Sanderson, Scott Lynch, and Pat Rothfuss are some of my favorites.
But what I want to do, most of all, is write. I want to write the kinds of stories people lose themselves in, that they write fanfiction about--the kind of stories that people re-read year after year because they love it so much.
I have dabbled in writing--a few short stories here, a few chapters there, but life always seems to get in the way. There’s work, there’s friends, there’s family--and an eternity of excuses. Nothing I write seems to be good enough. I know it’s a process--I know not everyone is a Tolkien on the first try--even Tolkien! But I find myself starting and stopping far too often.
When I was 25, I told myself I’d have a published novel, even if I had to self-publish, by age 30. I am staring down 31 in a matter of months, and barely have a dozen chapters to my name.
That’s where the Listserve comes in. I’d like to reach out to my fellow writers---published and unpublished, hobbyist and professional. If you put pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard, I want to hear from you!
Please, write to me. Talk to me. Encourage me. Give me your tips, your tricks. How do you get over the self-doubt? What keeps you writing? Prod me to keep going. Share with me your writing processes. I have so far to go, and I’m not above asking for help keeping me honest to get there.
I want to be a writer. I have these worlds inside me, these characters, demanding to be brought to life. I want to write your next favorite book--the one you’ll read to your children at night, that you’ll excitedly loan to your friends, that you’ll fall in love with and read again and again.
Andrew S.
Missouri, USA
[email protected]