My Author's Blog

What makes a Writer write?

         I have been writing fiction for many years now, my first ventures into the field being short stories back in High School English class. Since that time my passion for writing has grown to the point of almost becoming an obsesion at times. I have, as many other writers probably have also, 'burned the midnight oil' putting down images and scenes from my mind into written form. I have agonized over sections of a story that just were not coming out as I thought they should, searching for that perfect string of dialogue, or trying to find the right words to paint the picture in my mind. As writers we try to convey an idea, a picture, a thought, or an opinion. Yet why do we do it? What makes a Writer devote so much time, energy, thought, and agony merely to write a story or a novel?
 
 
         Many Writers have different reasons for putting in such time and effort, from wanting to convey our ideas, the desire to entertain, and some even to make a deadline and earn their living. Yet why? Why do we choose to pursue this particular style of artistic expression?
 
 
         There are many different reasons for differnt individuals I think, and for some its a very personal reason. I suppose the only way I can answer this question properly, is to answer it for myself. So why do I do it? Was it the fantasy stories of JRR Tolkien, Dennis McKiernan, and Ann McCaffrey which have all inspired me so much? That perhaps is a part of it. The desire to craft stories that inspire, motivate, and move others the way these Writers, and others, have done for me. There is, I think, no comparison to the thrill of emotion that is felt, the rush of adrenaline even, that comes from reading the climax of a story. That moment when the hero faces that which they have been striving against and either triumph, or fail. The sorrow that is felt when a major character we have come to know through a story dies, or when they suffer a tragic loss. The fear that we feel when all seems hopelessly lost for the main character that we have come to know and, in some cases, love or admire. Or the beauty that is conjured in our minds from a simple string of words.
 
 
Yet perhaps there is more to it than that. Sharing our vision and story with others is sometimes hard, yet also very fullfilling. Yet at times the reward for all the work, sweat, blood, and tears, is merely in the finishing of the story or novel. That feeling of accomplishment that comes along with those two little words, regardless if we write them on the paper or not, 'The End'. And sometimes it is just the outlet for creativity. Writing out the story that is spinning around in our minds, screaming to be brought to life in the writen word.
 
 
         For me, these are some of the reasons. What are, if you are a Writer, your reasons? Do you strive to make a change in the world through an article or non-fiction essay? Maybe you feel that the images in your mind have to be shared, that they are too wonderful of a creation to leave them in the private corners of your own imagination? Or do you have other reasons that are even more compelling than all these?
 
 
If you have other reasons that you write, or a comment about my blog that you would like to share, or a topic you might like to see a post about, drop me a line.

RD Williams
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