Guest Post: Carol Ward - Why I Write Romance (and other stuff)?

Before we move on to Carol's post, first my sincere apologies that this wasn't posted yesterday. I had severe computer issues as well as plenty other so everything was on halt. Late, but still great post, so I hope you enjoy it. 

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Why I write Romance (and other stuff)

A long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away. . .

Okay, maybe not really another galaxy, but there’s always been speculation. ;-)

I can’t remember a time when I didn’t write. I started writing poetry in grade school, was introduced to the short story in high school, and started my first novel shortly after that.  My prose was mainly science fiction and fantasy, no surprise there because I was a voracious reader of both.

Somewhere along the way I got it in my head that I was meant to be a writer of short stories. The only problem was, my stories tended to be rather long. And the longer the story, the more likely an element of romance would sneak into it.

So I went through a period where I didn’t exactly abandon my writing, but I really didn’t take myself, or my writing seriously. Then my husband’s Aunt had me transcribe a novel she’d written based on a true-life relationship she’d been in.  The novel was horrifically bad, but the thing that got to me was, not only did she start this novel, she actually finished it.

I looked at my handful of stories, my abandoned novels, and realized that it was time to fish or cut bait. I needed a change of attitude. If I didn’t believe in myself, who would?

I started a blog. I signed up with the Absolute Write writer’s forum. I started writing poetry again. I discovered the joy of flash fiction, finding an outlet for some of my darker ideas.

By the time I participated in my first NaNoWriMo, the romance novels in my library outnumbered the fantasy/science fiction novels. So I wrote a fantasy romance. And not just a romance, a romance that had s*e*x in it. And I didn’t burst into flames! The next NaNo novel was set in space, also a romance, and this one was quite . . . um . . . let’s just say it was pretty steamy. ;-)

The ideas keep coming, and they’re mostly ideas for romance novels. Some steamy, some not so steamy; some fantasy, some science fiction, and even one contemporary.  Why do I write romance? Because if I didn’t let all those stories in my head out, my head would explode.

Why do I write all that other stuff? Because sometimes what I have to say needs to be said in the form of a poem. And sometimes I need to embrace the darkness in us all in the form of a flash fiction story.  But most of all, I write because I’m a writer. And that’s what we do.