My name is Hope, and I'm a write-a-holic

"We are shaped and fashioned by what we love."

Today's Quotable Quote comes from the supreme genius of modern German literature, Johann von Goethe. Goethe is right about that, no doubt. I'm a self-proclaimed write-a-holic, and I'm not ashamed to admit it.

Writing is my escape, a place where I get to do anything and be anyone. There's something magic about conversing with a group of characters in my head. They show up at the most random, and oftentimes inconvenient, times demanding attention and resolution. They want me to explore their world, to share in their joy and pain. And I enjoy it almost as much as I would with my "alive" friends.

Sharing the trials of your MC and overcoming their obstacles is powerful stuff, and building a world your imaginary friends are proud to call home is a notable goal. Granted, you may only ever be recognized by that group of non-existent beings. If you're a true writer though, that will be all you ever need to drive you on to more.

Every setting in my life, every experience, every song, every person becomes a story in my head. I think about how I could work that into a usable plot and just image the characters coming to life. I would say 90% of my (waking) life is spent in writer mode and even more so when I'm sleeping. I have multiple streams of thought, but one is always focused on a story.

Some say it's a curse that writers can't be happy. There's always more to do, more to accomplish than one has the time. For me though, it's just awesome. I know nothing will ever be exactly what I want. I've learned that much in this process. But it will never stop me from trying or enjoying every second of it.

So for Goethe to say we are shaped by what we love...yeah, I would have to agree with that. I've become who I am now, shaped by my love for writing.

What shapes you?