When was the last time you asked yourself why you write? Have you explored the things that motivate you? Reflecting on the reasons we write is one of the most useful ways to get a handle on what gives us energy, what holds us back, and what we can do to get ourselves to the page as often as possible.
Most of us writers give little thought to why we write. Ask a writer, and he or she may have trouble articulating the reasons. We don’t exactly know why–we just know we need to do it.
But if you dig a little, you can gain some clarity about what compels you to pick up your pen or sit down at your keyboard. Coming to a clearer understanding of why you write can help you construct a writing life that works best for you.
In recent weeks, I’ve been reflecting on my own personal reasons for writing, and talking to other writers about why they write. While the following isn’t a comprehensive list (there are probably as many reasons to write as there are writers in the world!), it covers many of the major motivators for writers.
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1. To give yourself a voice.
I sometimes wonder how many authors come to writing because they have felt silenced in their lives. I am guessing most of us are writing at least partly out of a reaction to the feeling of not having had a voice.
If you have ever felt wronged or injured and had no way to express your feelings—or have had your feelings negated or ignored—then writing can be the perfect avenue for giving yourself a voice in the world.
You may be writing to speak of your own personal injury—such as by penning a memoir—but even if you are writing about something entirely different, writing can be a way of making your voice heard, of making your presence in the universe known.
2. For fun and pleasure.
Ray Bradbury wrote, “…if you are writing without zest, without gusto, without love, without fun, you are only half a writer.” I’m afraid I don’t agree with Bradbury on this one. I think you’re fully a writer even if you’re miserable doing it!
Still, it is wonderful if you come to the page with a sense of delight and laughter and exuberance. If you write entirely (or mainly) because you simply find it the most fun ever, you are a very fortunate writer.
3. To deal with anger, fear, shame, and remorse.
In The Courage to Write, John Keyes points out that many authors write to deal with negative emotions. William Gass said, “I write because I hate. A lot.” James Joyce wrote Ulysses “for personal revenge.” Sue Grafton, John Grisham, and Elmore Leonard are all authors who wrote in part to vent anger. Sue Silverman’s memoir, Because I Remember Terror, Father, I Remember You was written as an outlet for the pain she experienced as a victim of sexual abuse.
Society sometimes tells us to rise above painful experiences and the emotions they evoke. To think positively. To forgive. To “let it go.” This may not be a popular thing to say, but my feeling about pain is not to dismiss it, but to use it. Rather than trying to make it go away, turn it into creative energy. Turn it into art.
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4. To figure things out.
Years ago, I had a friend who was deeply conflicted about whether to go to grad school in biology or to follow her passion for crafts. For months, she waffled. Then she sat down and wrote about the conflict, where it came from, and why it was giving her so much difficulty. Before long, she’d realized there was no reason she couldn’t follow both careers. In the 30 years since, she has managed a double career as an endocrinologist and a renowned bead artist.
Writing isn’t always about things we understand—sometimes it’s about things we don’t understand. Writing through sources of confusion in your life can be a perfect way of coming to clarity. Many writers write through issues, sitting down with something niggling at them, and slowly working their way to greater comprehension.
5. To learn.
Curious about how astronauts train? Want to know how tile is made? Interested in the effects of global warming on your community? Write about it. You’ll soon be an expert.
6. For social justice.
Some writers bring a highly developed social conscience to their work. They write to shed light on wrongs that have touched their hearts and minds.
One part of my own writing is about justice to nonhuman animals. This is an issue that is very personal to me, one to which I am deeply committed. Writing about it is one way I feel I can do a tiny bit of good in the world. I often think, If I get one person to think about cruelty to animals, my writing will have served an important purpose.
Using your talent to bring attention to cruelty or injustice can be a source of immense energy and motivation. It has been for me.
7. For fame and fortune.
When I first started thinking about why writers write, I assumed there was no “wrong” reason. I still think that’s true–but I also think that the desire for money and fame is probably not a good basis for a writing career in the long run. From what I’ve seen over the years, the authors who spend a lot of time imagining the success they’re going to achieve are the ones most likely to fall by the wayside when they realize how elusive that success is. Although sudden fame and quick money do come to an occasional writer, for most of us, writing careers are built one tiny step at a time—and progress can be glacial.
What I’m saying is, go ahead and dream of getting that multi-book contract with a big five publisher. Who knows? You might be one of the lucky few. But if fame and fortune are the main or only reasons you’re writing, it can be next to impossible to sustain the focus and energy you need for the long road ahead.
As I look over the reasons people write, I see myself in all of them. The pie chart at the top of this post is a rough estimate of how they play out in my writing life. If you want to gain some clarity about your writing, try creating a pie chart as I have. Let me know what you came up with!