What Kind of writer are you? Where do you get your inspiration?

Blog Entry #3                

May 16, 2024

Do you know what kind of writer you are? It is something, I've often wondered. My go-to style of writing is Fiction. Over the years, I've grown as a writer thanks to my parents. They encouraged me to enroll in the Mass Communications and Journalism program; however, soon after starting it, I realized I didn't enjoy writing newspaper and magazine articles. I discovered my writing strengths were as a Creative Writer, and fiction is my preferred genre. I did try my hand at different types of writing, including articles, essays, and poetry, but I always come back to drafting short stories and working on a novel.

I must have been in grade 4, and my teacher read the class a story about a poisoned necklace and our task was to write our ending to the story. I remember I jumped to the challenge. That is when I knew I loved writing. From then on, I filled pages and pages of note paper with my stories I have binders full of them. I keep them to remind me of how I've grown as a writer.

As a teenager, I read romance novels, as did most girls in my generation. I read the Sweet Valley High series; however, my favourite authors at the time were Judy Blume and Paula Danziger. I devoured all of their books, including Judy Blume's Tales of the Fourth Grade Nothing, Superfudge, Freckle Juice and Are You There God Its Me Margaret before moving on to books by Paula Danziger including “The Cat Ate My Gym Suit” to “There’s a Bat in Bunk Five,” “The Pistachio Prescription,” and “The Divorce Express,” among others.

My interests changed as did the authors I read. My favourite authors are quite eclectic. I enjoy reading Stephen King, Jodie Picoult, Patricia Cronwell, Simon Sinek– I know he is an inspirational speaker, C.S Lewis, Mary Higgins Clark, Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games series), JK Rowling (Harry Potter Series) and Brene Brown. I could go on and on but we would be here all night.

As I write this I am on the edge of my seat – the Vancouver Canucks and the Edmonton Oilers are currently tied 2 to 2. It is a nail-biter of a game.  But before I go I’m going to pose this question out into the cosmos – what kind of writer are you? What writers inspire you?