Writing can be fun?

As an avid reader, the thought had crossed my mind about writing. You read enough stuff, and you think you have followed enough story plots and character development formulas to take a crack at it yourself. But what to write? Are you going to write something for your own personal satisfaction? Maybe something that helps others? Or maybe even make a buck or two? I think you have to answer those questions first before taking up the pen. Now, you could write something that is personally satisfying, helps others AND make a buck or two. AHA! Now you're thinking!

For me, I have always loved science fiction. Over the decades I've come to embrace any author with a good story. When I was younger, I usually stuck to the authors that always wrote a good story. People like Ray Bradbury, and Arthur C. Clarke, Larry Niven, Joe Haldeman, Frederik Pohl, Robert Silverberg, Robert A. Heinlein and any Star Trek novel that came down the pike. But sometimes I would take a chance on someone new. Sometimes I liked it, sometimes I didn't. Over the years my experience taught me what worked with a story and what didn't. I didn't have an english degree, but I knew what was a satisfying story.

I'm a visual sort of fellow, and when I read a novel, I see it just like going to the movies. I see the characters (how I imagine them), the landscapes and scenes. When I write, I just reverse engineer it. I produce the movie in my head, see the scenes, the characters, and what will they do next! I discovered that it was a lot of fun! In a way, writing books was like writing a blog. Each posting different in themselves, but always in the flavor of the author. A continuation of thoughts that keep you coming back to see what else is coming out of their heads! I hope there was something for you here today. From my head, to your head.