From a very young age, I've written as a means of expression or an outlet. I was a very quiet child - very much into my books and enjoyed my own company. I have written journals over the years and still do, although not necessarily regularly on a day-to-day basis. I always carry a notebook with me so that I can write down things like a quotation I've seen or my reaction to something. I have loads of notes at home which contain my responses to people and places or ideas for a short story, or for the characters in that story, etc. etc. I have always written for personal reasons and never really considered being published - until a friend suggested that I ought to. I'm not sure about that - but I would like to improve my writing and have contact with other like-minded people.