Writing

I've been curious lately about why people write - particularly those who do so (or hope to) for a living. Both John and Jim have very generously posted their thoughts on the subject in response to my prying, and I'd love to hear from the rest of you. Not just about writing, though - I'm interested in people who have something they love doing and are able to turn it into a career. Making a living out of your passion, as it were.

And lest anyone suspect me of having a hidden agenda here, let me put my agenda out in the open for all to see:

1. I haven't found anything (besides Dean and our children, and they don't pay very well) about which I'm truly passionate. I have lots of things I enjoy doing, but haven't found a way to transform any of them into a moneymaking proposition. This is, in large part, due to laziness. And insecurity. So I'm looking for inspiration.
2. On writing, specifically: I never liked writing when I was in school. I could do it quite well, and quickly, getting decent grades for very little effort, but I always disliked the physical act of writing. I blame it all on the sole Needs Improvement grade I got in elementary school - for handwriting in Grade 6. It scarred me, it did. So I wrote as little as possible, as quickly as possible, until I fell into this whole blogging thing a year or so ago*. Now I've discovered I don't hate writing. In fact, I kind of enjoy it. I've even got an novelicious idea or two rattling around in my head. But I don't feel any burning desire to get them out and onto paper. Not sure if that's 'yet' or 'ever'. So I'm curious about the mechanisms that drive people to write.

And there you have it. I'm a nosy, unmotivated busybody looking for career advice and/or permission to be a slacker for the rest of my life.


*I just checked, and it's been 11 months to the day. I never thought I'd stick with it as long as I have, to be honest.