When did you know you wanted to write books?
July 28, 2026 — A few months ago on my Facebook author page, I asked, “Do you remember when you knew you wanted to be an author? And if someone/thing influenced you, what?”
I posted it in several FB writer’s groups, too, and got close to 100 responses. The question really struck a chord. With permission, I’m sharing some of the replies here, including my own answer, at the end. Some of these folks have books already published, others are just getting started. What I have in common with most of my author FB friends is that we’re indie authors, that is, self-published.
Megan Haley
“I have always loved to write! I would get on the family computer as a kid and write silly little stories about all kinds of things — especially animals. I would type up the story in Word and then illustrate the stories on either MS Paint or draw them with crayons/colored pencil. My mom has saved almost every single one! I recently looked through some of them and it was so cool to compare some of my earliest writing and illustrating to my work today!”
A.K. Greenroad
“Junior year in high school I got an English teacher that everyone seemed to hate. Most of my class dropped out or switched within the first week either because of what they’d already heard about her, or she scared them off with her no tolerance for BS and very blunt feedback.
“I was one of 10 students that remained …
“I had always enjoyed writing and English was one of my favorite subjects so I worked my butt off in her class. She made sure to let me know she recognized that, even if I didn’t always get As on my assignments.
“She always gave me completely honest, and incredibly helpful feedback. Not tiptoeing around my feelings but truly pushing me to be a better writer.
“I really respected her for that and she ended up being one of my all-time favorite teachers.
One day I brought a piece of work to her I was really proud of, because I knew she would give me honest feedback. I was so nervous, but when she said it was impressive and she could really visualize what I wrote, it gave me such a big confidence boost!
“I will always appreciate that teacher for challenging me and helping me follow my passion.”
Jeremiah Moon
“My Mother was an unpublished author her whole life. When she passed suddenly a few years ago, I started writing to honor her memory.”
V.D. Miron
“A teacher in high school inspired me to write. I then went to college and stopped writing for a while. I picked up the pen (keyboard) again in 2006 and I’ve been writing since. I only started publishing in 2022. My goal wasn’t to make a career out of it. I mainly wrote for my own pleasure and as a way to escape. I’ll most likely continue to write mainly for my own enjoyment until I retire from my present career in 3-4 years. Nowadays, my Dad and my Stepmom are my biggest fans and are encouraging me to write.”
Dallas Rivers
“I have always loved telling stories.
“When I was younger I would tell my little sister stories until she fell asleep at night. When I was in high-school I took creative writing twice because I enjoyed writing so much.
“I am now focused on finishing my first manuscript. I hope that I am able to create a world for someone to escape to and explore.”
Jen Simpson
“I wanted my daughters to have books with stories that their mom wrote.”
T. Frazee
“My seventh grade English teacher fostered the writing potential in me. She encouraged me even when my writing material wasn’t necessarily appropriate for the age of the audience — she respected that I had a broader lens and did not try to inhibit me. Instead she asked me to participate on the school paper. That’s when I started to fantasize about being an author. However adult life does what adult life does and it wasn’t until I met my husband and through his encouragement I’ve entertained writing again. Currently unpublished but I’m four chapters away from having two manuscripts completed.”
Gabriela M. Vogel
“Writing was just a hobby I started doing for myself (and kept to myself), but I didn’t decide to share it with others until I got stuck on solving this plot hole in my story. I spent an hour explaining to my husband all the nitty, gritty details of my plot to see if he had any ideas/ I could bounce some options I thought of off him. In the end of my hour synopsis, he looked at me and said, ‘You’re such a creative person. It’s so cool. You should share it more.’
“He was right. I felt so silly guarding my writing so closely. It was so easy and fun to share. I decided why not share it with the world too, and now here I am working to edit and eventually self publish my first book!”
Madam Shay Jones
“I always enjoyed reading books as a kid. Especially encyclopedias. It helped broaden my imagination in creating unique kinds of characters.”
I.M.Mayes
“I have always cared and worried about the future of our planet.” In light of climate change, “I wanted to create a book that simplifies the topic for younger people. That was literally what inspired my first book, in the hopes it inspires change amongst younger readers for a more sustainable future.”
James Richards
“I had a severe schoolboy crush on my English teacher. She assigned us the task of writing a short story. She said she loved mine, so I continued as a hobby for a while. Now I work as an ESL teacher, and several students have commented that I tell a good story, which led me back to writing … something clicked.”
David Roberts
“I was writing stories in late middle school and by high school I was submitting sci-fi short stories to magazines — I got a lot of rejection letters, but a few kind editors took the time to scribble some words of advice. Anyway — once I went to college I embarked upon an academic career (English professor) and that took me away from creative writing. So I took the long road back. I left academia and became a business editor and started writing again — and found my niche with horror fiction.”
Me
“My interest in writing started from a very young age. And my writer parents were early role models. My father even “published” my first little picture book when I was in first grade. He titled it A Jack-O. He cut out parts of pictures and some words I’d drawn in crayon, added to it a bit, and turned them into a little book in a binder. As I’ve blogged before, I still remember the thrill that gave me and clearly, I’ve cherished it, as I still have the booklet to this day.”
Inspiration strikes in myriad ways. Teachers are a frequent source mentioned here, unsurprisingly. Writing to honor the memory of a mother who dreamed of being published, stories woven for a little sister at bedtime, a spouse or parents’ encouragement, wanting one’s daughters to have books written by Mom — family can be another motivator. A quest for knowledge and concern for our planet in these tenuous times. Our reasons are as interesting and as varied as we are.
If you’re so inspired, you may want to look up these authors and their books. I’ve found absolute gems written by my new Facebook author friends. I had a personal Facebook page and when I embarked on my virtual book tour in November - December 2025, I decided to begin my FB author page. I have met many kind and supportive people who I’m really grateful for in so many ways. It’s a pleasure to feature some of them in my blog.
Contact me through this website to tell me when you knew you wanted to write books, if this applies to you. If I hear from enough of you, I may have to write a part two to this post.