I was about six or seven. I have always loved writing, and when we were shown how to o description and stuff in about year 4 it was, I just loved it and haven't stopped writing since. The thing that inspired me to write seriously though, like professionally if I could, was reading the Harry Potter series. Geeky, I know, but I love those books and they have realy inspired me to write something, if even half as good.

~ Hєaтнєя

I think I wrote my first little story when I was six or seven but long before that I was creating stories in my head. My mom read me books for the longest time and then started telling me bedtime stories so she's the one that kept my imagination sparking. I always had stories I came up with with my toys and stuffed animals and eventually I started writing them out.

My first real story I can remember were about members from several groups of alien races ending up crashing onto Earth and defending it against the other race of aliens that were taking over some of the others. The second was a vampire one and I've been working on that one periodically through several years.

There's been fanfic writing here and there between the original stories (including a 600+ page Harry Potter story rewriting the first four books with original plot lines for the latter and some sequels - I was a terrifying HP fan). Of late I've been working on several small drabbles (the beginning part of one which I just recently put up), the fourth or fifth rewrite of that first vampire story, and a fantasy series (the first two chapters of the story I uploaded here).

So for me it was my mom and an overabundance of imagination plus an armful of toys. :)

People can say what they want about Harry Potter, but I think that series has inspired a new generation of avid readers and writers in a time when books were "going out of style." It's positive impact on this generation and generations to come is truly profound.

I fullheartedly agree with this. I think J.K.Rolwing gets a lot of stick in the writing world; she is like Marmite, you either love her or hate her. Despite what people say, and I am not saying that her books are the best written or anything as they are childrens books at the end of the day, but the woman is one amazing story-teller and has brought reading back into fashion. Hats off to her.

~ Hєaтнєя

I'm an alcoholic. Writing is the only thing in my life that won't kill me.

Now that is awesome. Way to go.

Can't help but agree with that myself. They aren't the best but they are a damn good read for some entertainment and keep you going through them. And Prisoner of Azkaban still ranks high for me as the one of the few books that's actually made me cry.

What I find scary all the time is people review the fanfic I mentioned and constantly tell me that they like it more than the books themselves. Its frightening and wonderful to hear all at the same time. >_>

I always enjoyed writing and had ambitions to do something with it. But it was my work that really set me off. For a number of years I worked counseling drug addicts and alcoholics.

During that time things got very political and quite hostile related to feminisms impact on counseling.

I started writing about it and engaging in activism for men on the job. I was completely on my own and outnumbered. Got my ass kicked. LOVED IT!!

Been doing it every since.

Thoughts on the Walking Wounded
Casualties of the Gender War.

http://www.thehappymisogynist.com

Haha, what a slippery slope into writing. That's a pretty unique experience for sure. Good luck standing up for Men's rights!

Hmm, I guess I'm just one of those people who've always been a writer at heart. Grew up with it, loved it in school, now I'm studying it at uni. Unfortunately there's no great revelation as to how all that happened.

About JK Rowling (seriously - I love the woman for prompting so much debate in the literary world if nothing else), she's just one of those authors who strikes a chord. There's no academic or in-depth reasoning to it, the stories are just awesome. If I can infuriate critics half as much as she and Stephen King do I'll die happy.