Reasons To Write

The reason one writes isn't the fact he wants to say something. He writes because he has something to say.
-F. Scott Fitzgerald-

Every writer writes for various reasons. For most of us, it’s because writing is all we know. For others, we write because it’s a gift and we don’t want to lose it. However, I believe that there are more specific reasons than this.

• Communication
• First and foremost, we write to communicate our ideas. Often, we cannot properly verbalize our feelings. When given paper and pen, that block dissolves. For shy people, there is no better way to communicate than by writing. Whether it be a letter or a story, every word brings you one step closer to fully expressing your point.
• Defense
• On a connected note, people write to defend not only themselves, but others. Were it not for writers sending in their opinions, the “Talk Back” section of the local newspaper would cease to exist. When we are angry, hurt or confused we feel the need to question the situation and defend our beliefs.
• Inform
• You are surprised to find that no matter what search engine you use, there is no book or article that discusses a topic that is important to you. On the off chance that no one has ever heard of it, you write an informational piece. Even if people have heard about your topic, chances are they haven’t heard everything about it. Furthermore, it doesn’t hurt to remind people. One can never be too informed.
• Assignment/Obligation
• You have been given an assignment to write about the mating habits of polar bears. By the end of week, your article needs to be on your editor’s desk. In order to keep your job, you are obligated to meet your deadline. You must do your research, add your creative flair and make sure that it’s properly edited. While it’s not totally fun, it’s a part of being a writer that we all have to deal with at some point.
• Relieve Stress
• What a day you’ve had! All of the crazy drivers were out. Every annoying person who “accidentally” cuts you in line was in the stores. You want to crawl into a ball and cry for hours. Out of the corner of your eye, you spot your pad of paper and a pencil in need of sharpening. Instead of burrowing into yourself, you decide to do a bit of writing. On the way to the sharpener, all of these great ideas pop into your head. You’ll write about those monsters roaming freely in the world. They may have escaped your verbal wrath, but they won’t get off scot-free.
• Creative
• Usually when people think of writing, they think of creative writing. People don’t realize that even boring…I mean writing that isn’t solely creative is still writing. Still, there is nothing like being able to write creatively. Your mind can take a deep breath as no one expects this type of writing to be exactly truthful. You can write about ogres in the same sentence as an accountant and no one will question you. You are free to go as wild as you like. In fact, the wilder you can get the larger audience you may receive. This type of writing is all about escapism. For the short time that your reader is hanging on your every word, you are providing them with the relief/mental vacation that they so desperately need.

When it comes down to it, all writing is done out of a need, even if the need is your own. Whether it has been written about a million times or not at all, that overwhelming desire grows stronger every day. In truth, writers write because words follow them everywhere and they can’t rest until they’ve been laid out on to the page. It’s not always romantic or fun to be a writer, but, if it’s something you’re good at, the good days outweigh the bad.