I write because I can, it sounds simple doesn’t it, but that’s the reason, I also love it just a little bit. When I was growing up I was surrounded by non writers, our family you see is very much working class, those that left school at 14 and had possibly found school difficult well before then.
It was my Grandad that recognised my ability to read and write at the age of three as I carefully sorted out his handwritten labels for his vegetables that he had stored in a box in his greenhouse, ‘What you doing’, he asked. ‘Sorting out the one’s that are spelled right’, I replied, as he watched me slightly dumfounded and came over to inspect, rummaged through them and then grasped my chubby little hand and raced up the garden to tell my Nan and my Auntie, who told him that children were different these days.
From there the great thirst came, I read avidly, everything that came into the house, we had very little in the way of books, a couple of old encyclopaedias, not a matching set and the books that were passed around between my mother and my aunties, sickly love stories that did not sing to my soul at all, but there was the library and very supportive school teachers. Next I went on the hunt for pen pals, I managed to badger an Auntie into it, but she only lasted two letters, it was simply too much of a strain for her and then I had three others, two from friends that had moved away and one from a pen pal club, I chose a boy in Zambia and was connected to Francois Xavier who announced undying love for me on his fourth letter and at the age of twelve this was far too confusing and I slowly kicked him into touch.
After english ‘O’ levels everything in the way of creative writing stopped, the world of work opened up and then marriage, children and so on. The internet appeared, wow, the internet, I am still quite giddy about that, and it was then that I saw blogs. Blogs and writing made me so curious that my world almost stopped as I explored the possibility of having my own and then saw how simple it would be.
I’ll never be a brilliant writer schooled in the way of Oxford English, I don’t understand or can remember all the rules, but I do enjoy it, even when I know I can’t quite get it right, it gives me pleasure and for that reason and that reason alone, I write, because I can.
Another finish the sentence Friday by Finding Ninee, please feel free to join in the fun.
blossom and sunshine 
and that is absolutely the best reason to do anything 🙂
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Thank you, most kind.
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I am not a fan of all the rules either, but I too write because I can.
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The Internet is amazing, with all the blogs to be found there, like this one I’ve found here.
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Glad to have read you. I love writing and happy to find others who love it just as much.
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Thank you, your very kind.
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The internet really is amazing. Sometimes I look at my son’s world with technology at his fingertips and I’m just blown away by how much information he can get to that I had to go to the library to find out. I’m glad you write and that you joined Finish the Sentence this week!
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I know, todays technology is just amazing. I’ll try and join every week but sometimes life does get in the way.
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Great to know about why you write. Keep writing…… !!!
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I will. Thanks.
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I really like this… “I’ll never be a brilliant writer schooled in the way of Oxford English, I don’t understand or can remember all the rules…” I think that’s true of so many writers. But I think I’d much rather read something real, something honest from a writer who doesn’t quite get the rules right than one who meticulously adheres to them and sacrifices passion.
Great post – I really love your thoughts on this.
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Thank you, you have no idea just how much your thoughts mean to me. I am always very nervous about my ‘level’ of English, but to know people actually like it, well, that is as good as it gets.
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I love the reference to your grandfather’s vegetable labels in a box in the greenhouse…where your love for the written word began. I also enjoy writing even “when I can’t quite get it right” and right or wrong it still gives me great pleasure. Thank you for sharing!
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Thank you, your thoughts are lovely.
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