A Week By Any Other Name...

Busy as a bee.
So, there are two questions that I get asked a lot.

Where do you get your ideas?
and
How did you become a writer?

Ideas are everywhere. It's not some poetic or metaphorical truth, that's just how it is. There are so many things that you can learn from everyday experiences. Often I start a story by just thinking about how fun it would be if something happened and then I go from there. I start with one small idea and it can grow.
One of the things that I love to do is listen and watch everything that is going on around me. It is important to pay attention to what you see like a bird fanning its wings or the expression on someone's face.
I also draw from my own experiences. I have this document of experiences: fever, sadness, food poisoning, desire to name a few. When something happens to me (if I am being present in the moment), I try to pay attention to how I feel. What are the physical sensations (touch, taste)? What am I thinking? What do I hear? What do I see (or not see, as the case may be)?
I try to capture that experience in words so that if I ever want to use that experience in a story I have notes to refer back to. "So this is what a fever felt like, this is how I want my character to express it."

Second question - I became a writer because I love to write. It's a little simple to say that, but for the most part it is the truth. Writing comes easily and even when I'm frustrated I can find some enjoyment. Reading what I write is also enjoyable, especially saying the words out loud and hearing the flow as they leave my lips.
I've always been a writer since I could write. I wrote in elementary school. There were small journals that I would record fanciful tales that lasted only a few pages. These were my first attempts. If I look back at what I have done and compare it to where I am then I can see the improvement - I can see the transition from meager stories to detailed novels.