Most of my friends and family are rather indifferent (which probably has more to do with the fact that I largely relegate my writing to the 'hobby' category and don't particularly speak about it with them). With the exception of my Aunt - she has always been quite encouraging, and possibly the most constructive in terms of criticism (she's not shy about questioning something, or pointing out flaws). Some friends that I have made through this site (and other non-writing related forums) have turned out to be invaluable - some offer the occasional (much appreciated) compliment, which keeps the ego nice and sedated. Others take said sleepy ego and wake it up by way of one of those relentlessly bleeting alarm clocks, which doesn't have a snooze button (also appreciated, in the end ).
My Mom has read most of my short pieces as well as my novel (That was somewhat embarrassing.) My Mother-in-law has read my novel (Mortifying!) Hubby has read only the good parts of my novel. (Typical) I don’t really look for encouragement from family, because they do not understand my constant need to write about anything and everything.
This is actually a great question. I actually have never thought about this until now. Because I want to advance my writing on my own and because I'm only 14, my parents really have no regard for anything that I've written on my own. I believe that I joined this site for some kind of relief or to find a comfort zone where I can find other people to compare ideas with or learn new things from. I'm not really saying that my parent's don't support my work, it's just that my previous works are too childish or involved for them to vaguely understand what the heck I'm writing about. Also my former works were all hand-written and probably were terribly written. The last story I finished was probably one year ago. The only problem with me is that I write and then evolved the main theme or change it to fit my needs and abandon them old side stories. So many of the ideas that I have had were abandoned due to my thought evolution or maybe even maturity.
My family, for the most part, doesn't see anything I write. I know I would get nothing but mindless praise from them, so I don't bother. Plus, I don't think they're really all that interested, even though everyone in this house likes to read... My friends, on the other hand, I know I can count on to give solid criticism. Many times, they've spotted things that were missing, misplaced, or overdone that I wouldn't have noticed otherwise, and they all notice different things (that kind of makes it sound like my writing is full of errors ). They're invaluable.
Bit late in responding but who cares .... Lets see, those that know I write, know little of it, and for the most part they say "Gee Sam you SHOULD write" but they don't know what I really write, when the lights go down and people fade away and my fingers are free upon the keyboard, and the words pour out of my soul... how do you share that with anyone? So there are those that have seen some what i'd have to call "fan fic" and some "real life" portrayals of what "we" as in me and my friends have done... they love the way it goes and say "write Sam write"... only one truly knows the depth of my soul and the words that come forth with it... There is little safety when you bare your soul, there is no net to catch you, just a dark chasm where one could push you.. and so I hide it, unwilling to take a chance. Some of you saw a taste of it in my blogger.com profile before I deleted it... for the rest... it shall remain a mystery... Some of us hide what makes us whole. Thats me..
Everyone in my family and friends circles knows I write, but I don't often share what I've written, or what I'm working on. When I was younger I would tell my parents all the time (as in, 5 and 6 years old) about the stories I was writing, and they helped me edit my stories for Young Authors competitions and such. Now, I just babbled about plots and characters to my husband, who confers with the dog, and then tells me that he loves me, but he doesn't understand anything I just said but he wants to read it when I'm finished. I sometimes run small passages or snippets past him for clarity, but that's it. I know he supports me in my writing, however intense I want to be about it, because it makes me happy. He asks occasionally how things are going and if I've done anything new on my works, even though he knows he doesn't always understand what I'm writing about. He doesn't actively solicit my writing for me or anything, but I know when the time comes to start looking for publishers, he'll be my biggest advocate to get over the fear of rejection and just do it.
I am an embarrased victim of boasting parents, and all th judges, engineers and adminstrative officers, and my Mama's kitty party friends have read my works at least once......without my knowing how.
My friends support me no end! They're great! My family are a bit sceptical, i think they think i'm wasting my time.
We obviously move in the same circles. My mother has taken stuff I left on the computer and posted it to everyone, and I mean everyone. She loves me, you see.
