IWSG – My favourite aspect of being a writer

Well, hello there. Last month I came across the Insecure Writers Support Group and thought it a pretty brilliant idea, so naturally, I joined.

The answer to this month’ question actually took me quite a bit longer than I expected. In the end, I think it comes down to two things:

The constant play with language.

I’ve tried my hand at quite a few genres so far and while fantasy often wins out, I enjoyed them all. I love writing in and for different settings and adapting my choice of words accordingly. Often, it is sublte, yet it changes a lot. Writing opens up possibilities to explore the language of every possible rank and station, occupation and social standing. It’s one big word adventure and I love it.

The ability to expand on what is there.

As a writer, especially in fantasy (but likewise in other genres), I get to ask “what if” and then find answers of my own. I can make up whole societies, worlds, cultures. I can dive deep into the mind of people who don’t even exist and yet, sometimes are as real to me as my friends and family. I get to take my experience of the world, my perspectives and views and elaborate on them, build them into something different. When you write, even the mundane becomes one big playground and it’s the best thing in the world.

And of course, let’s not forget all the wonderful, quirky people and the vast landscapes of their minds that you get to know once you’ve stepped up and identified yourself as a writer.

While there are a lot more good things to be said about being a writer, those definitely are my favorite aspects.