I Write Because I Like It ~ Kit Wilkinson

Kit Wilkinson is a former Ph.D. student who once wrote discussions on the medieval feminine voice. She now prefers weaving stories of romance and redemption. Her first inspirational manuscript won the prestigious RWA Golden Heart and sold to Steeple Hill Books.

Besides writing, she loves hanging out with friends and family, cooking for lots of people, and participating in almost any sport. She and her husband reside in Virginia with their two young children and one extremely energetic Border Collie named Bear.

The not-so-interesting “how I became a writer” story

It's pretty clear how one becomes a brain surgeon or a lawyer, but a novelist? There’s something mysterious about becoming an author. Or people want there to be...

Personally, I’ve always cringed a little when anyone asks me about the whys and hows of my writing. And this is because my answer tends to disappoint everyone.

Why did I start writing? How did I start?

Um...I sat down at the computer one day and began typing... because I was bored.

I’m totally serious. A few years ago, I quit my teaching job, was home with my two kids whom I love dearly, BUT I was bored. So, while they napped, I would sit down and write a chapter at a time. Pretty soon I’d written a full-length manuscript and I had so much fun doing it, I decided to write another.

While on the second story, I thought since I liked it so much that I would learn about publishing. I hooked up with some local writer’s organizations where I met experienced authors. They were kind enough to look at my work and give me advice—which I listened to. They pointed me toward some publishers that best fit the content of my work. I read over sixty books from those publishers and continued writing and restructuring my stories. After two years, I went to a conference. I met my agent there and within six months sold my first story.

Now, of course, I’m leaving out some things—for one, the rejection part. The story didn’t sell as I wrote it. It underwent major revisions, as did my second novel. And then, recently I submitted a third story on a proposal, which, after revisions, has yet to sell. I’ve had to put that aside and move on to yet another story idea, which did (just recently) sell. (whew!)

The other thing to mention would be my background. I studied and taught literature (for a VERY long time), concentrating primarily in French medieval writings, but I also received degrees in general French Literature and in American Literature, which means I’ve been writing ABOUT fiction for years and years. Some might say the leap from writing literary criticism to writing a novel is small. I’m not sure if that is true or if my former studies are a bit of a hindrance to the creative process.

Either way, good writers are usually good readers and I have definitely been a reader all my life.

So, what do YOU tell people when they ask why you write or how you started writing? What do you say if it wasn’t your lifelong dream or you’re not an amazing “discovery of talent” story? What if you’re like me and you just decided to give writing a try? Honestly, I’m not sure exactly what answer people want to hear but I’m going to try THIS the next time:

I write because I like it.

SABOTAGE 4 1/2 STARS from RT Book Reviews:

Olympic hopeful Emilie Gill is beautiful, rich, successful--and in danger. Someone's targeting her stable, her friends, her life…and there's nowhere for her to turn. The police? They've charged her with murder. Her father? Out of town--again. Her best friend? He's the man she's accused of killing. There's no one to count on--until Derrick Randall rides into her life. The stable manager's support encourages Emilie to open up her carefully guarded heart. But just as she's learning to trust, it all comes apart. Her faith--and newfound love--are all she'll have when the sabotage turns deadly once more...