My name is Michelle Murray. I am the author of a young adult fantasy book series called The Dream Walker, Land of Mystica. You probably never heard of me, and that’s okay. I have been writing since high school, and won numerous awards for my poetry and short stories. Several of which have been published in anthologies. Dream Walker is my first book, and some days I feel way over my head. I feel like What am I a poet writer doing trying to write a whole series of books? However, I believe strongly in my story and the way it was written.
Anyway, this is a guest blog post from me. I am not a big blogger, so I wasn’t sure what to blog about. My life is not that interesting. I am a working married mother of two fine young men (ages 15 and 20). When I’m not writing, I enjoy reading, especially fantasy and classics. If I’m not reading or writing, I enjoy doing crafts, spending time with my family, and going for walks.
Being new to blogging, I was given some suggestions by my fellow bloggers. Write about your favorite movie? The last movie I saw was Frozen. It was a good movie, and the boys and I saw it before all the hype kicked it. But really, how many times can you hear Let it Go? No offense to Disney, but this movie is way over marketed. Write about your favorite book? That’s like asking me to pick which one of my boys I love best, not going to happen. I have many favorite books and authors. From Shakespeare, to Mark Twain, to Margaret Weis. If you don’t know who Margaret Weis is, she co-wrote the Dragon Lance Series. It is a series of fantasy books based on a game. This still blows my mind! There are over 20 books in this series! All based on a game! At one point of time, and maybe still, there were clubs where people dressed up as the characters, role playing conventions, etc. all based on this series. I never got into all of that, I just thought they were well written stories and enjoyed reading the books.
So, having gotten past these suggestions, I thought why not write about what I love best? Writing. I mean I am an author, right? It is said if you want to be an author, you should write every day. I do not. I’ve never bought into this theory. It’s like asking a master musician to compose every day or a master painter to paint every day. While I believe in practicing your craft, to write simply to write seems silly to me. Did Beethoven compose every day? Probably not. Did he study and listen to music? Yes.
Some of my best writings have come when I least expect them to, when inspiration hits me and I just write from my soul and imagination. Some of my worst have come when I had to have something done by such a time. Write five poems by Saturday? What? But, hey if my fellow authors out there find it works for me, more power to you! What works for one person may not work for another. I’ve read authors that listen to music while they write, jog, or write in the shower!
Myself, I try to write at least once a week. A poem, a story, a line, anything as inspiration hits me. It could be as short as a line, or as long as a couple pages in my notebook. I’m old fashioned, I still like to write on pen and paper. I handwrote this blog, before tying it up! Things that inspire me include my children, the outdoors, the stars, the sky, rainbows, butterflies, landscapes. This is why I enjoy going for walks, I love nature! Well, currently the weather could be a little warmer, but hey that’s winter in Wisconsin.
Before I had my children, I used to take pen and paper with me everywhere. That soon got replaced by diaper bags, changes of clothes, band equipment, and soccer gear. Now, that they are older I am trying to get into that habit again. I’ve written in the car, at lunch, at the above mentioned soccer games, at the park, while waiting for parent teacher conferences. Hey you never know when an idea will pop into my head! I’ve written on notebooks, napkins, matchbooks, or whatever I could grab. Now, they have apps for this kind of thing.
Most people don’t understand this need to write. I’d say it’s almost an obsession, except I’ve done without it. I’ve gone weeks, months, maybe even a year without writing at all. Of course, I always come back to it sooner or later.
I guess the best way to explain it … is I can’t … had you there for a minute didn’t me?
It would be liking asking David why he sculpted or Da Vinci why he painted. Or my favorite metaphor asking the Pope why he prays. Can you imagine the Pope not praying? It is just part of who he is. It is the same with me. Writing is part of who I am, part of my soul. Every time I write a poem, a blog, a story, its’ like baring a piece of myself to the world. When people ask me why I write I can answer, I was inspired by this or that. But it’s like asking the birds why they sing. I can say I’ve always loved to write (which I have) but that doesn’t really answer the question. I write partly because I love it, I wouldn’t spend so much time on something I didn’t have a passion for. Yet mostly I write just because, the same reason you breathe every day. The same reason why some people paint, and some people write music. It is part of who I am.
I hope to inspire others with my writing and my story. For at one time, I was told to stop writing, it was a waste of time. I hope my poems and stories get passed on and remembered. I hope I made my children proud of the story I wrote and that other children and their parents will enjoy it.
Thank you for reading my ramblings on writing, I hope you enjoyed peering into the soul of a writer.
You can find Michelle Murray’s Land of Mystica series on Amazon. Click the book to go the Amazon page…
From the Wastes... 