A Writer Is As A Writer Does by Carolyn

So - there I was five years ago, in Divo fantasyland, feeling the hormones stirring and letting John take advantage of my condition. Heh. And it was perfectly evident it wasn't only my hormones getting stirred.

I discovered fan fics.

Good ones, bad ones - they were all there, right there on Il Divo's official web site and some of them were right frisky too! I was gabberflasted, to quote a certain fictional Spaniard.

The more stories I checked out, the more fascinated I became. Some of them were pretty bad. I remember thinking, I could do this and so much better too!

And then I found The Cheeky Spaniard and I fell in love forever. It never occurred to me that I could outwrite that particular writer, but it gave me the final push to try a story of my own.

Okay, I said all that to say this: I wrote from my heart. Sort of flowery, really really descriptive, and I imagine I broke every rule in the writing book and some that weren't even there.

I look back at that first effort now and can see where improvement is needed, see all the flaws and other stuff that's just plain wrong. But I also see the heart in it.

To try to write emotion, the feelings one person has for another; to try to convey the picture or vision in your mind - it can be difficult. But when it works, it's better than money. It just is.

So, my technique hasn't changed all that much. And it's for sure not what the experts are wanting. Today's writing is supposed to be sparse, pared to the bone, with lots of action, action, action. There was a short period when I lamented my shortcomings, but you know what? I've learned to live with it and even celebrate it.

Mostly I like what I write - or I wouldn't write it, lol. I guess most amateurs say that. But I LOVE what Lori writes; it's hard for me to be objective about her writing. She slashes and burns her own stuff relentlessly, always trying to improve. I'm not much use to her there, because I think it is so good. It's like sitting down with a good friend and listening to them talk; it just flows. She can make me believe anything, make her worlds seem so real.

So what's the point of all this rambling? I think the point is to write what you love and love what you write. There is always room for improvement, but that doesn't devalue what you've done. It can still be worth a lot to people, just like Cheeky was to me.

Cheeky Spaniards make it all worthwhile. :-)