Someone asked me recently what I thought it was that made me a writer.  The quick and obvious answer is that a writer is someone who writes.   I’m a writer because I write.  Yep.  Heard it a hundred and forty seven thousand times.  What is it that makes me into a me who writes?

Hunh.

I considered this question in great depth for about a second and a half and up blinked the word ‘curiosity’.  It isn’t the only thing that makes me a writer, but it’s certainly a solid cornerstone.  I’m curious about people.  My husband is endlessly amused and wry because I talk to people that I don’t know.

I converse with the lady at the meat counter (her dog has squeaky toy issues).

I chat with the dry cleaner (the roofer recommendation?  Awesome.).

I listen to nervous people on airplanes (one lovely young lady was studying casino management).

So why does that make me a writer instead of nosy as all get out?  Okay, so I am ALSO nosy as all get out.  I’m curious about people, about things, about history, about virtually everything.  Well, maybe not Nascar, but possibly I just don’t know enough about what makes that interesting to people.

I’m curious about people, about what makes them do what they do, how they think what they think.  I wonder what would make them change.  What would they do if some situation radically changed the world in which they live and how would they respond?  How do people respond to challenges in their lives?  What kinds of responses make someone, maybe even a very broken person, into a hero?

Do you write?  Why?  I’m curious.

Tags: writing
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