If You Couldn’t Write . . .
Why do you write?
Is it a desire, or a hobby, or a need?
How you answer that question would determine your answer to the question of “What sense would you rather lose – sight or hearing?” but that really isn’t the topic of this blog post. (I’d rather lose my hearing, btw. I’m an exclusively visual learner. I don’t know what I’d do if I went blind.)
The real topic of this post is:
If you couldn’t write – not one word, ever again . . .
No more stories. No more world building. No more new characters invading your mind.
What would you do?
What are your other passions? Could any of them take the place of writing?
I’ve spent enough time in my life pondering questions like these (I’m not the only writer with an overactive imagination, right?) that I have my answers.
If I couldn’t write, I’d be a zookeeper.
Yes, that’s right.
A zookeeper.
I have this insane love of animals. If I could handle the emotional turmoil of it, I would have been a veterinarian. My best friend is a veterinarian, though, and I know what she had to do in those classes . . . I would’ve been bawling my eyes out every day.
And if I couldn’t be a zookeeper?
I’d totally be a costume designer.
I’ve been sewing since I was . . . I don’t know, 1st or 2nd grade? I remember the first skirt I made. It was elastic waist with a ruffle at the bottom. It was a faux-denim cotton thing, and I wore it to death. Actually, more like until I couldn’t fit in it anymore.
That eventually turned into actually doing a commissioned replica of Arwen’s Blood Red Dress.
Pretty, isn’t it? It was so hard to send away . . .
Arwen's Blood Red Dress Replica
Incidentally, that links to my Deviant Art account. I have some of my costume designs up there, but be warned I haven’t updated that thing in almost 5 years.
Yes, I draw the clothing my characters wear . . .
I was thinking about this the other day. If I were blind there’d be a lot of things that I like to do that I couldn’t. And you couldn’t be a costume designer or a zookeeper very well either. I would hate to go blind, but it wouldn’t stop me from telling stories. I could always dictate.
But what if it were a choice between losing sight or hearing? Which would you pick?
Lee
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I would definitely rather lose my hearing than my sight! I don’t know what I’d do if I couldn’t read . . . I could definitely still type, but it wouldn’t go well. And no, it wouldn’t stop me from telling stories at all. I was telling stories LONG before I was writing them down.
It would be a difficult choice. Music would be something I wouldn’t want to give up. But to be able to read and see the beauty around me is something I treasure so much. Hope I’d never have to make this choice.
Lee
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Tough choice, Rebekah. If I could not write, I would probably go back to school for psychology. It’s always been one of my loves as a writer: getting into character’s heads and just listening.
I know exactly what you mean – getting into character’s heads is amazing! And sometimes frightening . . .
Wow. if I couldn’t write. I honestly hadn’t thought about that. I suppose I hadn’t wanted to. I already do something pretty generic to get by in the world, I would probably try to go back to school to teach. If I can’t write, maybe I can teach others.
I thought about teaching at one point, and then realized with my lack of patience, it would be a very bad thing, lol!
The dress wasn’t too bad, I had a pattern that I went off of. It also helps that I’ve been sewing for practically 20 years now. I’ve even won awards for my sewing :D. With that particular dress, though, the material was more a pain to work with than anything else.
By the way, that dress is so beautiful. I couldn’t begin to comprehend how you put it together.
I’d bring back the oral tradition. I can’t NOT tell stories.
I know exactly what you mean about not being able to not tell stories :). Oral is hard, though, because I can’t ever remember it the same way twice!
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Wow, you draw what your characters wear? That is so awesome! Now watching you on Deviant Art.
Vision and Hearing are my two favorite senses in order, so if I have to lose one it’d be hearing–though given the option to swap out taste and smell and keep hearing I would.
If I couldn’t write I’d like to bar-tend, it’s still creative and even in the unthinkably horrible scenario that I am forbidden to create or share any stories or characters at least I’d have plenty of opportunity to take them in.
But losing writing’s a big enough blow that the desirability of options after that aren’t somewhere I want to go.
I rarely update deviant art anymore, but I am getting back into my sewing, so I’ll probably put some of that up when I get it done :).
Hm, giving up a sense of smell wouldn’t be any big feat for me, since I live without it most of the time thanks to allergies anyway. I don’t know that I could survive without taste, though, except when I’m taking my vitamins *shudder*.
Hehehe, I can imagine the kind of insane stories you would hear as a bartender . . .
That is a scary good question. Since I’m writing because I think God wants me to, then if something happened that I couldn’t, then I’d assume that’s over with, it’s time to move to the next thing. But the scary part of that question is a little phobic, the kind you have with any addiction, but when you know the power of God, you sort of catch yourself and breathe, knowing He’ll make a way or see you through to the next thing.
that is the nail on the head, there! 🙂
Did you get my email? I don’t want to take a chance that it fell through the cracks!
I did, I just haven’t had a chance to respond yet! I’m catching up on everything I neglected the past week, lol. I’ll reply tomorrow 🙂
I’m glad I caught this, I apparently forgot to click “alert me” to responses, I’ll be sure to. But please, if you can remember, email me at azureboone at gmail dot com no need to respond to this, i’ll assume you got it.