What was that initial moment when you thought, “Being an author is something I want to pursue?” Who or what ignited that spark within you?To hear my answer to Dave’s question, tune in to episode 458 of the podcast Living the Next Chapter.
I share my thoughts on this from 4:35 to 6:55.
You can also read a summary of my answer here.
What was that initial moment when you thought, “Being an author is something I want to pursue?” Who or what ignited that spark within you?Interestingly, it wasn't the idea of being an author that sparked my journey; it was the stories themselves. They came to me and they continue to do so.
When George Michael created that iconic saxophone solo in Careless Whisper, he mentioned it just came to him as he boarded a bus. I wondered how such brilliance could simply appear. But then I realised that's how stories come to me. For others, inspiration for inventions or art might just appear.
My stories have always been with me, even from childhood, though it felt like mere play back then. I would act out all the parts in my own tales.
As I grew older, this evolved into daydreaming, though it still didn't seem serious enough. For those considering becoming authors, it's worth noting that it might not feel like a real job at first—just making things up. For a long time, I viewed it as such and thought I should focus on more real activities.
The stories kept coming, but they only became complete when I started writing them down. They didn't arrive as full narratives but rather as scenes or characters in various situations. To bring them to life fully, I needed to put pen to paper.
So to answer your question, what ignited the spark for me, was the stories themselves.
