What Does it Mean to be a Writer

The World of Ink Network is currently touring award-winning author Fran Orenstein’s contemporary woman’s novel with paranormal overtones, Gaia’s Gift published by Word Castle. As part of her tour we asked her to share with all of you what it means to be a writer as she has written for children to adults, poetry to short stories and many of her titles has won awards.

What Does it Mean to be a Writer

By: Dr. Fran Orenstein 

For me, writing prose and poetry is the means I use to express myself.  All artists have a unique talent or ability that drives them to create. From the first storyteller chiseling a picture on a cave wall, to today’s writer at a computer, the goal is to produce something they hope people will read.

Personally, being a published author and poet is a fulfillment of a dream I have had since I wrote my first poem at age eight. Part of that dream is to leave a legacy for the future, whether it is simply a book my grandchildren will enjoy and pass on through the generations, to the ultimate dream of producing a classic that will live on forever.

As a writer you must be willing to keep putting ideas down in words, and really want to write. A friend who is a musician and artist said to me many years ago, “When are you going to call yourself a writer?” The question boggled my mind, for I did not consider my self a writer, even though I had been writing academically and professionally for much of my life. I was other things, but I thought, “Me, a writer?”  Then one day, I woke up and realized, “I am a writer.” It did not matter what I wrote, I was producing articles, newsletters, papers, books, short stories and poems, and people were reading them.

Writing is a lonely art. Sometimes, days go by when the only communication you have is with the characters on the page. Then there are the days when nothing happens, words refuse to appear on the page, the book seems to drag, the characters are bland, and you are ready to give it all up. But suddenly there is a breakthrough; your fingers are off and running, and your brain surges forward with new ideas.

The ultimate high for a writer is the day the doorbell rings and you see the brown uniform of the UPS driver rushing away like a felon down your driveway. You open the door and there it is; a plain brown box. You haul it inside, paying no attention to your aching back and run a blade carefully through the tape. You open the flaps and there they are snuggled in bubble wrap. You lift out the top book and hold it in your hands, then stare at the cover like it was the archeological find of the century. You open it and there are the words you slaved over for so many months or years. You clutch it to your chest, then if you are really sentimental you kiss it, as long as nobody sees you.

But the ultimate reason I write is the call from my grandchildren telling me they are so proud to have a Granny who is an author, they love my book, so when is the next one coming.

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Fran Orenstein, Ed.D., award-winning author and poet, wrote her first poem at age eight and submitted a short story to a magazine at age twelve. Her published credits include a ‘tween mystery series, The Mystery Under Third Base and The Mystery of the Green Goblin, a fantasy series for ‘tweens, The Wizard of Balalac and The Gargoyles of Blackthorne, a ‘tween fiction novel dealing with childhood obesity, self-image, puberty, and bullying, Fat Girls From Outer Space, (Sleepytown Press), and two young adult historical romances, The Spice Merchant’s Daughter (Whiskey Creek Press), set in France and Prussia between 1685 and 1703 and The Calling of the Flute (Sleepytown Press) set in Lithuania in 1897.

Moving into literature for adults, prize-winning short stories and poetry have appeared in various anthologies. A book of poetry for adults is currently in the works for publication in spring 2012.

About Fran Orenstein's recently released book, Gaia's Gift:

Gaia's Gift is about Rachel Wells, who loses everything she cherishes in a brief summer storm off the coast of Florida.Haunted by the ghosts of her past and survivor’s guilt, Rachel turns her back on the world behind an impenetrable veil of pain.When she receives a gift from the sea and allows the world to intrude, Rachel learns too late that some gifts are not meant to be kept forever. 

Publisher: World Castle Publishing 

ISBN Number:9781937593834

You can find out more about Fran Orenstein, Gaia's Gift and her World of Ink Author/Book Tour at http://tinyurl.com/6wspudw

To learn more about the World of Ink Tours visit http://worldofinknetwork.com