Time Passes: How Long Do Writers Write?

by Linda O. Johnston

I know the answer most likely is FOREVER! But I’d love to hear here of any differences. 

Me? Well, I started writing my first book while in grade school, about, of course, a kid and a dog. Fortunately, I typed it out, and my mother saved it. I therefore have it in my stack of old stuff from my early days—though don’t ask me to get it out right away. I’d have to find it. 

I worked hard enough in my classes in grade school, junior high, and high school to do reasonably well. My favorite classes? English, especially if we had to write something. I don’t think I wrote a lot of stories of my own, but there were some. 

I went to Penn State for undergraduate school. My major? Journalism. And yes, I got to write assignments and otherwise. In fact, I worked in advertising and public relations for a while after graduation. 

Then came law school and the start of my legal career—and the beginning of my published novels. The first was The Glass Slipper, published in 1996. And that was just the beginning. 

I’ve been fortunate enough to have quite a few books published, and I just keep on going. But I’d love to hear from other published authors who read this. When did you start writing? When did you first get published? Are you still writing, and will you continue? 

And for those of you who are unpublished but hope to be published someday: Keep on going!

.

#####

.

NOTE: For some reason, our “old” blog site doesn’t often take comments from others. (We are not sure why.) But if you have an answer for Linda, you can email me (Jackie; I post these for Linda), and I’ll relay it to her. Photojaq@aol.com.

11 thoughts on “Time Passes: How Long Do Writers Write?”

    1. Probably so, Crystal. But I think writing becomes part of many, if not most, writers’ existences, although they can always choose a time to stop.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

  2. Just like you, I started writing as a kid. All I ever wanted to be was a writer, even though I had a few jobs along the way, but a few of them ended up influencing my writing like being a private detective. I also worked with stocks and bonds in a bank. I got the basis of a book out of that experience…and a husband as well. What a great job! My dad was in the Air Force so we traveled a lot. My dad’s career, my imagination, and the Cold War influenced my three spy novels. I worked in a miniature store and started collecting Santas. I have several Christmas books from that experience. So, life, a vivid imagination and sitting down and actually writing turned out a couple dozen published books. But the only way to be a writer…is to write.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Absolutely, Gayle! Writers do write, generally a lot, and it keeps on going. Sounds as if we’ve had similar writing backgrounds despite the experiences in our lives being different.

      Like

      Reply

  3. I also started writing as a child, but I didn’t even consider being published. That came decades later. To date, I’ve published three novels and numerous short stories. Many stories are in various stages of completion. I’m not writing as much these days, due to many “life happens” type of events–but the pen and keys keep moving, and likely always will.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Not sure I considered getting published initially either, Maggie, but I kept on going, and it sounds as if you will too, at least to some extent. Go to it!

      Like

      Reply

  4. No surprise, I also began writing as a kid, beginning with poetry and then short stories, later scripts, and eventually became a journalist. I never considered writing a novel, let alone getting it published, until I reached my middle years. Now, I have many partial WIPs and ideas in the hopper. How long will I write? As long as I can.

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

  5. Well, as this guy once said…

    “The moving finger writes; and, having writ, moves on: nor all thy piety nor wit shall lure it back to cancel half a line, nor all thy tears wash out a word of it.”
    — Omar Khayyam

    I guess that means we keep writing until the pen drops from out hands…..

    Liked by 2 people

    Reply

    1. Sounds as if we shouldn’t do much editing either, Jackie. But yes, we should keep on writing, although I’ll continue to use my computer these days instead of a pen.

      Liked by 1 person

      Reply

Leave a comment