Beginning of an Adventure...

I could start this blog out with saying that I don't think I'm a good writer, or that I don't expect any of my work to get published, or something else degrading about my writing skills. And I'm sure every writer or aspiring author has, at some point, I don't care who you are, wanted to chuck everything into the trash bin or burn it because it's so bad. But that's just the process of trial and error, right? Finding out what works in your story and what sounds really, really awful.

So, despite the fact that I think my writing is mediocre and no one would want to read it, I'm driven on by the fact that I'm not writing simply to please other people. I'm writing for myself, to find out how far I can push the standard, to see how well I can express myself in words, to be inspired by my own characters and to urge myself to be better.

I guess the real question would be... why do I write?

I write to create my own worlds from imagination. I write to stir emotion in whoever reads it. I write to go deeper than the surface and delve into the hard things. I write to expose myself and all my flaws. I write to challenge myself. I write to ask difficult questions. I write to make myself laugh. I write the kind of stories I want to read. I write because I believe every story should have a deeper meaning than just surface level.

But most importantly, I write because God gave me the talent and ability to do so, and that means that I should be trying my utmost to glorify Him and point others to His love.

And if I'm glorifying God while doing what I love... well, that means that I shouldn't put myself down or compare my writing to others, because God made me exactly the way He wanted me.

Even if that means I speak fluent whale and Disney song lyrics.

If I wanted you to take away one thing from this post, here it is: You should not stop writing because you think you're terrible at it, or because other people write better, or because crying over Bucky Barnes is preventing you from getting on with your life. (Trust me, it's a real thing for Marvel fangirls.) You just keep on writing because YOU want to, and because you're putting to use the amazing and wonderful mind that God gave you.

The majority of this blog will be a mishmash of writing tips and tricks (though I probably don't know enough to write a blog about it), maybe a few book reviews, and for those who are interested, maybe even some hints about the book I am currently writing/editing. I will be *attempting* to post every couple of weeks, or whenever I get the motivation, or sometime really sporadic. Thankfully, I graduate next spring, so hopefully I will have the time and the effort to put into publishing my book in process.

If you asked me to describe myself in one sentence, it would be this: A chocolate-loving, book-crazed, movie-quoting, God-fearing tomboy/nerd/fangirl/country bumpkin who has an obsession with the Chronicles of Narnia and Star Wars and who doesn't think there's enough rain in one year to possibly get enough inspiration.

So there you have it!

Oh, and I forgot the sarcasm part. I'm very sarcastic, too. And OCD. And I love organizing.
Who knows, maybe that's what makes me a pretty good writer.