Why Pamela Blance Writes
It is not easy to pinpoint why writers are driven to the art of writing. After reading the posts of several guest bloggers, I've come to realize that the desire, or what some call passion, is mostly reactive. We write because there is a story to tell. There is no lightning bolt that hits us, nor is there a thunderous voice from the clouds that says, "You are a writer. Go forth and make stories."
Storytelling is what makes us special. Yet while there are hundreds of thousands of us out there telling stories, we are but a select few whose inner need propels us to record our real-life or imaginary adventures in words. Yet fewer of us actually push our stories over the finish line and publish.
But whether we are exceptionally successful and famous or modestly represented in our field, we who have that passion continue telling stories because the story is more important that the reason that drives us to tell it.
Pamela Blance, who writes with her writing partners under the collective name of Jamie Tremain, offers her story to us on why she writes.
Wishing all my readers a very happy holiday season.
Marianne Scott, author
Why Pamela Blance Writes
Why do we write? Great question. The answer is so different with all who put pen to paper or let their fingers wander over a keyboard.
I truly believe reading others' work is one of the keys to good writing. I grew up reading the usual young readers. Enid Blyton, Beverley Cleary, C.S. Lewis, to name a few.
I was born and bred in Edinburgh, Scotland, the first UNESCO City of Literature, 2004, and I was surrounded by many famous writers.
Sir Walter Scott, of the Waverley Novels. Robert Louis Stevenson, who gave us Kidnapped, and The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, to name a few that whet my appetite. Where I lived, I could walk to the birthplace of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the creator of Sherlock Holmes. And others more contemporary. JK Rowling of Harry Potter fame, and a personal favourite, Ian Rankin of the Rebus books.
Another influence was my father A.W. James. Many an evening growing up he would be tapping away at his typewriter. He churned out many articles and poetry, mostly in the vernacular. We, my siblings and I, were encouraged to use the libraries and encyclopedias to find our information. Now of course, Mr. Google can help you.
I have always scribbled for myself, kept journals and sent letters home to my family in Scotland, but write a book? That was never in my plans as I voraciously read others. Time was my enemy as I brought up three children and worked in many different industries. I had always been creative — knitting, sewing. decoupage, macrame. But it was not until I took a creative writing class at the local college that the bug took over. Getting A’s and A+ fueled my ego and I started going to a weekly writing school.
Fast forward to my last job before retirement when I met Liz Lindsay. Our love of books and writing became a lunchtime meeting as we worked together to create not one but two books. And Jamie Tremain was born.
Writers need either a vivid imagination or life experiences. Being aware of those around you and people watching. I love to people watch. Nothing better than sitting at a cafe with a favorite java, watching the world go by and taking note of the interactions of others. No, it's not creepy as I usually interact with others wherever I go. There are so many interpretations of how people think. This is great fodder for a story, how they look, and see the world.
Writers are storytellers and I love to tell stories. Either from my own experiences or from my imagination. Our experiences as collaborators are different from most authors. We have different styles so there is much back and forth until an agreement is reached. We work on character building together and plot lines. You soon find out that the characters have a life of their own and tell you what the story is all about.
Why do I write?
My life would be poorer if I didn’t write. It gives me joy and satisfaction to see our work in print. The road to publication is not an easy one. It took 10 years for our first book to be published. ‘The Silk Shroud’, the first in the Dorothy Dennehy Mystery series, still gives me goosebumps when I hold this book. There are now four books in this series and three in the Grant’s Crossing series with a fourth on the way.
Writing and creating they say is a lonely occupation. The actual writing is, as it’s you and the computer or pad and pencil. But I have to say the writing community is very supportive and being part of not one, but two, collaborative teams it's great to have someone at your back. Liz and I now write a new series ‘The Mechanic Falls Gem Capers series’ with award winning author Gloria Ferris as Ferris Tremain.