Earlier this week, agent Nathan Bransford blogged about: Writing As Your Identity.  In a nutshell, he expressed concern about writers who identify themselves where their identity is stated as: “Writing is who I am.”  Frankly, he stated his position so much more elequently than I could, I urge you to go to his blog (which is listed at the end of this post), to see what he had to say.

But this topic really struck a chord with me.  I’ve often heard writers say, ”I can’t NOT write.  The voices in my head won’t let me.”  So, for years I’ve held my dirty little secret that I don’t hear voices in my head - in fact - if I DID hear voices in my head, my employer, the L.A.P.D., would be rather concerned and would probably take away my badge and gun.   

All jokes aside, I like writing.  I think a lot about my stories and my characters.  But those imaginary lives haven’t taken over my life.  I have a real job, a real family and real worries that are at the top of my list of things to think about.

My thoughts about my work in progress are usually confined to when I’m driving from point “A” to point “B”, or those few precious seconds when I lay my head on my pillow before I’m sound asleep.  Although I carry one of those mini-recorders when working as a cop, I really need one in my car where many of my brilliant (in my mind) ideas  come to fruition while I’m cursing stupid drivers traversing the freeways of Los Angeles.

The reality, (for me) is that I’ve written two books, but alas, I’m not published.  I’m working on my third book.  But, I am a wife, mother, and cop first.  There will never be a time where I’m not a wife and mother (how’s that for confidence?), but I won’t always be a cop.  And then, I MIGHT identify myself as a writer.  But I’ve just signed up for dancing lessons.  Maybe I’ll identify myself as a dancer instead.  Or better yet…I’m a wife, mother, writer and a dancer.  Now that’s a resume’ that seems very well-rounded.  And please note…I don’t hear one single voice inside my head counting:  One, two, three, turn, kick…

Here’s the link to Nathan Bransford’s original post:

http://nathanbransford.blogspot.com/2009/05/writing-as-identity.html

Until next time…

KMA367