Thursday, April 29, 2010

Guest post: Keris Stainton


Today, as promised, I'm delighted to welcome Keris Stainton as part of the blog tour celebrating the launch of her first YA novel, Della says:OMG!

Over to Keris:


When Cathy asked me to write about motivation, I happily agreed. And then I started to think. What *is* my motivation? What motivates me? It's not something I've ever really thought about, to be honest. I'm not even 100% convinced what it means, but I was told at university not to start an essay with a dictionary definition (after I'd started an essay with a dictionary definition...) so I'll resist looking it up.

Instead I'm going to look at it like this: what makes me write? What gets me to the computer, opens the document, finds me trying to create characters and put together a plot?

Well good writing does. Reading someone else's good writing, I mean. When I read something like Meg Cabot's The Princess Diaries or Lauren Oliver's Before I Fall or Marian Keyes' The Brightest Star in the Sky it makes me want to write. I know I can't write as well as any of those three authors (yet), but reading their books makes me want to try.

Another thing that makes me want to write is New York. I don't know where it comes from, but I love the place, always have. When I'm there I feel inspired, I feel like anything is possible. I want to write when I'm there and I want to write even when I just think about being there. If I, say, wander around Greenwich Village on Google Streetview, I want to write. So I try to do it just enough to inspire me and not so much that I lose a whole day.

I also find I'm inspired, more and more, by interiors. I don't know if this is a sign of age or of being settled with a husband and children, but Living, etc., magazine is like you-know-what to me. I'm inspired by other people's creativity, but it also makes me want to improve my home, to find or create my dream home. Which leads to...

Money. Yes, I'm motivated by money. I'm not making a lot, but I hope - and intend - to one day. And since I feel like writing is what I'm supposed to be doing in life, I have to assume that writing is where the money's going to come from.

But my main motivation is love. Love of books. Love of reading. Love of writing. Love of that moment when I forget I'm writing and it feels like the story's writing itself. Love of the times when I read my writing back and I think, "Bloody hell. This is pretty good!" But also love for my family. Wanting to support them and provide for them, yes, but also to inspire them. My motivation for giving up work to write was that I didn't want my son to have a mother who was to afraid to follow her dreams. And that motivates me to keep following them.

Thanks Keris! You can find details of all the stops on Keris' blog tour here.

8 comments:

Helen said...

"My motivation for giving up work to write was that I didn't want my son to have a mother who was to afraid to follow her dreams."

I like this quote. Great post Keris. Thanks Cathy!

Becky said...

I agree with Helen above. Actually that last sentance bought a tear to my eye and I bet I'm not the only one. My son wants me to be creative too and not to stifle it. I'm calling by your blog now ..will just find the link :-))
Nice to meet you here on Cathy's page.

DJ Kirkby said...

Well you definitely inspire your sons, I mean Harry is already writing. What a clever boy :)I wish I had half of your bravery and could give up part of my work week but that would mean we couldn't afford our house and we'd have to move into a council flat and that is something I don't want my sons to have to endure.

Cathy said...

Thanks to Keris for a great guest post. I have to agree with the other commenters, that she provided us with some inspirational quotes.

By the way, if anyone hasn't already read Della says:OMG then it would make a perfect summer read.

Keris Stainton said...

Thanks for the lovely comments and thanks Cathy for hosting me.

(Denyse - I was only working three days on v poor pay. My first magazine commission paid more than a month's wage. I figured I only had to get one commission a month to make up my pay.)

DJ Kirkby said...

Gawd you make that much writing for magazines? Impressive!

Talli Roland said...

What a great post! Keris' book sounds like a fantastic read. Thanks, Mary, for having her here!

Cathy said...

Mary? Who's that, Talli? Hee hee.
(Thanks for dropping in, by the way).