Well, I enjoy every minute that I write. I'm deep into chapter two, and I know I'll need to do some serious rewriting. But I *love* to write. In between high school, helping my parents farm, keeping up with my friends, (one of which I probably won't see for several months to a year, so I'm trying to spend a lot of time with her), I write every minute I can.
I write characters and stories because I want to; not because I think I'll make a six figure book deal. I have wrote several short stories, short shorts, and a pretty large amount of poetry. Some of which has won some awards and have appeared in a few anthologies.
I think to have a really good story, you need large conflicts (eg. a quest, getting the girl/guy) and smaller conflicts (getting to work on time, not killing fellow people on quest with you). All of these elements must be tied together in a conclusive ending.
I had read Narnia and some other really obscure fantasy books, along with myths and legends before I read LOTR. So, I was writing before LOTR, but after LOTR, my writing had a more epic and grand style to it. I am inspired largely of my own fears: heights, the dark ( I live in the middle of nowhere-woods after dark, wolves, scary!!), the unknown in general. I take these fears and push them to the limit. I model some of my characters off of one or two traits from each of my friends. Can be quite interesting.
Right now my novel is not ready to see the light of day, but when I get done with the first draft, and am aprox. half way through the second re-write, a few (VERY few!!) choice people will get to have a peek. My good friend, who happens to be an English teacher, and another fellow writer, will all have a first row seat to be my cheerleaders and to catch my mistakes. After all, what are friends for?
