This question has come up lately. Among a number of other questions that I also cringe and don’t want to answer, but this one I think at least needs to be told.
I began writing stuff on my own when I was 10 or 11. Somewhere around there. I was always reading above my grade level.
But not because I was smart. I read to escape. That eventually turned into writing to escape. What I didn’t know was fanfiction at the time (pen, paper, no internet access back then) was how I traveled to other places and with people that I could pretend cared about me and that I mattered.
Yep, classic Mary Sue. Thankfully, all of that horrible writing has since been destroyed. Even the stuff I wrote when I received my aunt’s old Windows 3.1 computer with a dot matrix printer no longer exists.
I wrote to escape. I wrote to get out my frustrations. I wrote to play around with ideas and concepts. I kept my dirty little secret hidden from the people I knew.
My story isn’t anything special and perhaps a little pathetic, but everyone has their reasons for putting down words. Nowadays I’m putting down words because the characters in my head won’t stop until I’ve told their stories.
J.C. Jackson 
I think that’s a good reason to write. I know I stayed in the writing closet for a good 10 years. Mostly, I was terrified of being judged by my family because of the gods I created and the utter darkness that is still yet to come. I’m still worried about book 3, but less so now.
The reason I write is because of Derek. He formed in my head when I was 15 and watching Sailor Moon. Since then, he’s lived in my brain and grown stronger and bolder. I love the guy. I figured if I liked him so much, maybe others would too. Plus, without Derek, there never would’ve been a Cera.
Awe…Ketayl is my oldest character also. She has since grown and evolved into what she is now. And I totally understand about worrying in regards to family and fictional religious systems. My in-laws are very attached and I’m wicked afraid of what will happen when they get their hands on a copy.
I’m sure you’ll be fine though. As long as you can make someone happy, right? Even if it is just yourself. 🙂
Oooh, you reminded me that I’m way behind on Sailor Moon.