How TWILIGHT Changed My Life
Once upon a time I had a job. I was the executive editor for a small sports marketing company. I loved it. I spent my days talking to VPs of professional sports teams and college athletic directors. Then I wrote up all the smart things they had to say, published it, and occasionally got interviewed by major news outlets as an “expert” on Sports Business.
It was awesome.
Then I got pregnant with No. 2, which was also awesome, but involved lots of puking, dizziness, and not being able to function. So I quit.
I got better and so bored. Not that I wasn’t busy cleaning, cooking, and caring for my beautiful little family, but I didn’t feel special any more. I went from “Hi, I’m Becky. Did you see my interview on ESPN?”* to “Hi, I’m Becky. Would you like a cookie?” It didn’t have quite the same…umph.
I could have gone back to work but I couldn’t imagine myself leaving my babies in someone else’s care. Instead, I went to the library. At least once every week, I’d check out seven novels and read one per day.
Fantasy, Westerns, Mysteries, Literature. I devoured it all. Literally, starting at A and working my way to Z. But I never, ever ventured into the Teen section. I was in my twenties. I didn’t read “kid” books.
Then my sister called me and said, “Oh my gosh, you have to read this book, Twilight. Even though it’s a teen book, you’ll love it!” Mind you, this was in the summer of 2007 right before the third book in the series released.
I’m not going to lie. A very pregnant me, my teenage sister and my dad were in line at Barnes and Noble to get Eclipse the night it released (my dad actually bought my copy and wrote a sweet note inside. He’s a very good man).
On my next library trip, I found the teen section and never left.
I wasn’t the first person swayed to YA by Twilight.
But reading kidlit wasn’t the only thing that the glittery vampires did for me. I remember closing the cover and saying to myself, “Stephenie Meyer is like me. She’s a stay-at-home mom who had a good idea for a story. I can do this.”
Yeah…me and 85,000 other women decided that if Stephenie Meyer could get published so could we.
Some of them have actually succeeded.
So whether or not you liked the Twilight series, it has had a huge impact on the writing community and YA novels in general.
Did Twilight have any effect on you?
*Like I’d ever actually say that. It was more like, “Oh my gosh, you saw that? Did I sound as stupid as I felt?”
It was awesome.
Then I got pregnant with No. 2, which was also awesome, but involved lots of puking, dizziness, and not being able to function. So I quit.
I got better and so bored. Not that I wasn’t busy cleaning, cooking, and caring for my beautiful little family, but I didn’t feel special any more. I went from “Hi, I’m Becky. Did you see my interview on ESPN?”* to “Hi, I’m Becky. Would you like a cookie?” It didn’t have quite the same…umph.
I could have gone back to work but I couldn’t imagine myself leaving my babies in someone else’s care. Instead, I went to the library. At least once every week, I’d check out seven novels and read one per day.
Fantasy, Westerns, Mysteries, Literature. I devoured it all. Literally, starting at A and working my way to Z. But I never, ever ventured into the Teen section. I was in my twenties. I didn’t read “kid” books.
Then my sister called me and said, “Oh my gosh, you have to read this book, Twilight. Even though it’s a teen book, you’ll love it!” Mind you, this was in the summer of 2007 right before the third book in the series released.
I’m not going to lie. A very pregnant me, my teenage sister and my dad were in line at Barnes and Noble to get Eclipse the night it released (my dad actually bought my copy and wrote a sweet note inside. He’s a very good man).
On my next library trip, I found the teen section and never left.
I wasn’t the first person swayed to YA by Twilight.
But reading kidlit wasn’t the only thing that the glittery vampires did for me. I remember closing the cover and saying to myself, “Stephenie Meyer is like me. She’s a stay-at-home mom who had a good idea for a story. I can do this.”
Yeah…me and 85,000 other women decided that if Stephenie Meyer could get published so could we.
Some of them have actually succeeded.
So whether or not you liked the Twilight series, it has had a huge impact on the writing community and YA novels in general.
Did Twilight have any effect on you?
*Like I’d ever actually say that. It was more like, “Oh my gosh, you saw that? Did I sound as stupid as I felt?”
24 Comments
nicolekrell
Yep. For years (and years) my mother kept telling me I needed to write. I thought, “Okay, maybe when my kids are a little older.” Found out, I didn’t have to wait. It happened exactly as you said. I read it and thought, “I can do this.”
Becky Wallace
@Nicole: I knew I wasn’t the only one! Thanks for backing up my hypothesis!
Kirsten
Yes! Twilight was my gateway to YA, too. My story is similar to yours. My daughter was a newborn who ate all the time, and I was down with a stomach bug. I spent two days doing nothing but lying in bed reading the Twilight series and feeding her. Then I started reading Cassandra Clare since Stephenie Meyer blurbed it, and so on, and so on. Went to see a book tour of some AMAZING YA authors (CC, Holly Black, Melissa Marr, etc), and they revealed the elusive secret of writers: BICHOK. And that was that!
Becky Wallace
@Kirsten: Butt in chair, hands on keys?
Laura C.
I’m sorry to be the odd one out, but I’m writing YA because I don’t think I’m good enough to write adult yet. While I’m not a TWILIGHT-fan, I’m delighted that it inspired you. Anything that opens the door to your dreams should be appreciated.
Becky Wallace
@Laura: Hey! Did you ever get that little dilemma figured out? Email me!
Kirsten
Becky – Yep! 🙂 They also said the only difference between a writer and a non-writer is actually doing it. Simple, but it’s the truth. I’m glad you found your inspiration!
Carrie Butler
That’s the great thing about the Twilight phenomenon. It proved success is attainable to anyone who works hard enough (and possesses a certain amount of luck/good timing). Plus, it opened the YA floodgates and brought in all kinds of “non-readers”. I say kudos to Meyer. 🙂
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