5 Ws of My Writing

Writing is my passion. It always has been. I can't pinpoint an exact moment when I knew it. I just knew.

One of my daughters came home with an assignment to analyze a subject with the 5 Ws. My brain started firing. How would I analyze my writing with that criteria?

5 Ws of My Writing

Who: Female Teenagers
One, I'm female. Two, I was a teenager. No matter how much my daughters might argue, it wasn't that long ago. My teenage voice and my adult voice really aren't that different. The teenage me has grown, but she will take over at the oddest times. Some good. Some bad.

I love writing teenagers. They have so much room for growth, they crave knowledge and understanding, they often trust the wrong people in their search, and they are equal parts child and adult. With each passing year, more of the child-like side is relinquished to the budding adult.

Also, and no insult to men, I find women better character studies--their emotions and outlooks more complex.

What: Novels, Short Stories, Blog Posts, Journal Entries...
Heck, I like writing to-do lists. I can smell the fresh scent of a writing assignment as soon as my kids walk in from school. They look at me sheepishly and consider running, but I ask for the assignment. They love brainstorming with me, but they fear my red pen. I wield it responsibly, but use it often.

When: Whenever I Can
But I find I write best first thing, before other things can overtake and clutter my mind. I love Twitter word sprints (where Twitter friends set a time to write, everyone checks in on Twitter, and they check in with the number of words they've written). They keep me focused, and I have built in support and encouragement.

Where: In Quiet Places
I've recently discovered I write better when I leave my house. Starbucks is my new best friend, and I hate coffee. Otherwise, I'll write at home. I take my laptop to different rooms in the house just to mix it up. I do stay out of my girls' rooms for fear the need to clean would strangle the life out of my muse.

Why: Because I Must
It seems a cop-out answer, I know. But I can't imagine a day without writing. If I couldn't write to process life, I'd have to talk a lot more. Quite frankly, I'd like to stay married, so I think I'll stick with writing.

Why do you do what you do?
(That question looks humorous to me, but it's exactly what I want to ask.)

From Heartbeat to Heartbreak: Passion Projects

For those of you who aren't familiar, The Business of Being Born is a 2008 documentary executive produced by Ricki Lake. It details the contemporary experience of childbirth in the United States: "Focusing on New York City, the film reveals that there is much to distrust behind hospital doors and follows several couples who decide to give birth on their own terms."

Passion is an interesting idea. It should be unwavering, full or powerful emotion. It's common to get passionate about children, from giving birth to every milestone in their lives. From the moment we see the heartbeat on the screen, we love them and they become our world. I can think of few things I'm as passionate about as my children.

My passion project... writing a book with my mother. I'm passionate about family and relationships. Throughout the years, I was amazed to find families who drifted apart and went their separate ways. Few things make me sadder. I truly believe this is the only path for some. Still, for others, it's the easy path. Relationships are hard work. The more you love someone and open yourself up to them, the more they can hurt you.

That's why our dear children break our hearts constantly. It's our job as parents to love them anyway. I feel the same about my own parents. They aren't perfect, but nobody is. I do believe they did everything in our best interests, whether I liked it or not. Did they make mistakes? Absolutely! Am I making mistakes with my children? Absolutely! I hope they'll love me anyway. I know I'll love them through their mistakes.

The more I saw pain in people's relationships, particularly moms and daughters, the more I wanted to write a book with my mom. One that showcased how different you can think and feel and still end up coming together in the end. I have three daughters, and I want to have a relationship with them forever. Not just for the 18 years they are forced to live with me.

Ten years, through all kinds of obstacles, Mom and I worked on this novel, Depression Cookies. We never gave up. We both felt passionately that we had stumbled on something unique, something people could embrace and care about. When agents said they loved it, but didn't know how to sell it in this tough market, we just heard they loved it.

Mom and I couldn't be prouder of our little book that could, but maybe the years we poured our hearts into it has a little something to do with it.

If you haven't, take a moment to visit our Depression Cookies website.

What's your passion project?

Hold the Onions: Passion

Oh how I wanted to come up with something knock-your-socks-off interesting for this one. A hidden talent or desire never shared. I quickly realized I am an open book. No secrets. I didn't even lie to my food diary about cheating when I had one of my child's chicken nuggets. Sure enough, right there on November 10th... cheat: one chicken nugget.

Word nerd that I am, I headed to the dictionary for inspiration. Passion is first a powerful emotion, such as love, joy, hatred, or anger. Easy. I am passionate about my children and my family. Nothing inspires more powerful emotions in me than family. Writing and reading rank up there, too. My passion for reading was planted and fostered by my mom. Writing followed. Thanks to my upbringing, faith is also a passion.

On the flip side, I loathe onions and coffee. Not just a passing dislike, a full blown hatred. How's that for passion? I know onions and coffee never did anything to me, but I stand firm in my utter disgust just the same.

I found myself drawn to the third definition: boundless enthusiasm, the object of such enthusiasm. As boring as this may sound, I value words to such a high degree I refuse to throw them around. Boundless enthusiasm, endless devotion. Wow! I'm dedicated to many things, but endlessly? That's quite the commitment. One I save for friends and family.

Why can't I commit to more passions in a simple blog? I don't take commitment lightly, you might even say I'm passionate about it. My dad is an engineer, my mom a poet. I was raised with equal parts practical and dreamer.

If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins.
Benjamin Franklin

My life summed up by Benjamin Franklin. I believe in passion, wholeheartedly support it in fact, but I think reason should be your guide. Trust your heart, but also run it past the brain. Passion should never step on a group of people or hurt, it should bring about great change and sometimes hold fast in tradition and values. Passion should never make you blind.

I'd travel to Hell and back for my family. I allow that singular passion tunnel vision. I will love them no matter what their choices are, even if I disagree or caution them. My heart will break and mend again several times, yet I will not falter.

A secret passion? I pride myself on fleeting passions. Ones that surface and resurface when I need them to. Politics, comes and goes as issues present themselves. Other times, I want nothing to do with the bickering and complete lack of getting things done. Education, absolutely, but I also believe in summertime and memories. Just yesterday I was passionate about both sides of my hair being even after I spent a half hour curling it. The next day, ponytail.

My goal, find passion when it's needed. On other days, explore. Look for a new passion and be open to it. But that's just my obviously passionate opinion.