Write What You Love

This will be a short blog, and one that you all are pretty well aware about, but I wanted to just remind the writers (published and non-published) to always write what you are passionate about. It is so important, and not only that, but you will see the difference in your writing…in your voice.

My current finished manuscript, Dark Abyss, is a perfect example. It follows a young girl who is a witch, but has no clue. The one person who clues her in to her special ability is a…vampire. That’s right, I said it--a vampire.

Oh, no…not a vampire, the market is saturated with vampire this and vampire that. Vamps that drink synthetic blood and are brooding over young high school girls. Vamps that are the only one lefts and vying for human blood. Vamps that are warring with werewolves shape shifters, each other.

And I know what you are thinking, “Why are you writing about vampires?” The book should have been steampunk or a rendition of a fairytale.

The answer is because I am passionate about it. I love vampires, witches, werewolves, anything that has to do with the supernatural. That is why. What other reason is there?

A good lesson that I remember in school is the required assignments that I would have to complete. Maybe a story or a report or even a thesis or maybe a (insert whatever appropriate here). And I can remember the difference of how much I enjoyed whatever assignment VS. how long it would take, how good it was, and my grade.

A huge correlation could have been read.

1) The more I enjoyed writing the piece directly correlates to my grade.
2) The less I enjoyed writing the piece directly correlates to my grade.

If I was to try and force myself to write something, well I’ll just say point blank, it wouldn’t work. It would be long, boring, forced sounding, and I doubt the reader would make it past the first paragraph much less a whole page or book for that matter.

Sure, most people probably want to be published--me included. But for me, writing is more than that. It is something that takes me from my life and projects me to another place, to another university, where endless possibilities lie. And it is usually me that is the hero or heroine that meets interesting characters and saves the world or dies trying.

Just remember, no matter the trend, market saturation, or maybe a boring topic, just write what you love. Write how you love. Write the characters you love. Breathe life into your story.

Yes, Dark Abyss is about a witch. It is about a vampire. I love my story.