More Than That...

      I was once again asked that time-old question.

      'Why do you write?'

      My first response: Because it's all that I want to do. All that I have.

      But then I thought about it. Of course someday I want to be, Amie Salmon: Writer, with the proper credentials and all, but aren't I more than that?

      Aren't I a writer, reader, student, sister, blogger, daughter, aunt, twitterer, fan, friend and so on? Aren't we all more than one thing? Isn't that the thing which writers try hard to do for their characters, make them more than one dimensional? Don't we all, fictional or not, deserve to be known as more than just one thing?

     For some reason writing this post made me think of when I went to watch Magic Mike at the cinema the other day. It was my birthday, and me and my friend were having a marathon day at the pictures. Magic Mike was our last order of the day, mainly because it was the only time it was on. We were both, along with another friend and her mum, looking forward to watching some sexy boys shaking their thang. Then as we were buying our tickets, the girl selling them to us said that Magic Mike wasn't all it appeared to be.

      Me and my friend were a little miffed, but we knew that at least this way we wouldn't be disappointed as we were prepared. And we weren't, none of us were. (And neither were most of the reviewers or other cinema goers according to an on-line search.) It wasn't the best, or most ground-breaking film I've ever seen, but it was good. And it was so much more than just a film that invited women to come and have a good time to. It was about discovery, love, friendship, temptations, dark side of fun, and so much more. There were scenes I weren't expecting, and many that I were. There was laughter and a few moments that made you want to shout: WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!?!

      After that rant, my point is – it wasn't what I initial expected. It was better.

      So my two new goals in life: Be me, not who people expect me to be.

                                                 Make my characters whole, rounded. Make them real.

I think as a writer, that's not a bad goal to have.