 For Authors: February 25, 2026 Issue [#13612] |
This week: Why Do You Write? Edited by: fyn-21 wdc years and writing!  
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1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
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I want to write because I have the urge to excel in one medium of translation and expression of life. I can’t be satisfied with the colossal job of merely living. Oh, no, I must order life in sonnets and sestinas and provide a verbal reflector for my 60-watt lighted head.~~Sylvia Plath
I write because I don’t know what I think until I read what I say.~~Flannery O’Connor
I don’t remember deciding to become a writer. You decide to become a dentist or a postman. For me, writing is like being gay. You finally admit that this is who you are, you come out and hope that no one runs away.~~Mark Haddon
Any writer worth his salt writes to please himself…It’s a self-exploratory operation that is endless. An exorcism of not necessarily his demon, but of his divine discontent.~~Harper Lee
Why one writes is a question I can answer easily, having so often asked it of myself. I believe one writes because one has to create a world in which one can live. I could not live in any of the worlds offered to me — the world of my parents, the world of war, the world of politics. I had to create a world of my own, like a climate, a country, an atmosphere in which I could breathe, reign, and recreate myself when destroyed by living. That, I believe, is the reason for every work of art.~~Anaïs Nin
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I love the question, "Why do I write?" and I have fun with the answers I've come up with over the years. The thing is, it is not a 'throw-away' question. It is important. Everyone who defines (in some way) themselves as being a writer should (and most do) have a clear understanding of the 'why of writing' that best fits themselves.
What are one's goals? What does one hope to accomplish? To toss a thought or a truth out into the cosmos? To be published? To entertain a child?
For some, it is simple. Simply because they enjoy the process. Some write because they have to do so. Some write merely with the intent to sell it elsewhere, to make money, or as an income. Some write to inform. Others still, because they have something to say. There are those who write because they have a story to tell that needs telling. And then, some merely write for sheer enjoyment.
Does one write for the feedback they get? Some people find this important for making their writing better.. Yet others write their piece and don't really care about the 'reactions', good, bad, or otherwise. Either is fine. There really is no 'wrong' reason to write.
One thing I have discovered is as many different sorts of writers there are, there seems to be an equal number of the different sorts of readers there are.
There are those who respond with 'I loved it. It's great.' Nice response on a surface level. Doesn't really say much beyond that they apparently enjoyed the few minutes of reading. Others provide an editorial review picking up on any typos, incomplete sentences, plot holes, and archaic language. Obviously helpful in presenting a clean piece!
Some dive deep. They travel down the wormholes you leave open for them to plummet through, and they offer insights and the fact that they have spent time delving into the 'why' of the writing.
These are the readers I personally like. I appreciate their time for the read and for the thought they put into it.
{Break in my newsletter} NOTHING like having a newsletter 'finished'--power gltches off/on and all of the rest of the newsletter beyond this point is GONZO. Nothing worked to get it back. :( There is no joy in trying to recreate another couple of thousand words.
Some folks write to express an emotion, a trouble, or an adventure. Some write to clarify thoughts. We all have an audience we aim towards even when we don't consciously think about it. Some write to spread joy. Other to share something that may resonate with someone else who has experienced something similar. It all comes down to our 'supposed' audience, whether it is a specific demographic or something thrown blissfully out into the ether where we hope it has a soft landing.
I write because I can't not. It is my way of interpreting my world. It is how I figure out, deal with or want to remember all sorts of things. It is my small way of sharing the things I've learned in 72 years that just might, maybe, help someone else. I've always said: cut me and I bleed ink. Writing is who and what I am. It is when I am at my happiest.
(Except for when I am trying to recreate a couple of hours worth of writing. And failing miserably.)
Ah, *laughs* the joys of writing!
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Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form
G. B. Williams  says: Thank you so much for sharing this article. I should have had it available when I published my first book. I am saving this and reading it as I seek to publish another book this year. THANK YOU for helping me better understand the process.
Mara ♣ McBain  writes: OMG! Isn't this the TRUTH! Writing is definitely the easy part. I would estimate I read my finished book a minimum of 4 times front to back. That doesn't include reading what I had of the WIP when I struggled with writer's block. I then listened to it at least 3 times, reading along. And I just read the print proof front to back! If you are a natural introvert like me, the self-promotion can be the MOST agonizing! All this and the book isn't even out yet. lol Great topic, Fyn!!
Wannabe  comments: I found this editorial to be quite true. You did a great job with who, what, where, when, and why. Personally, I have always felt writing was the easy part. However, reading aloud after the fact is so useful for finding the pits in your writing, allowing oneself to enhance one's writing skills.
I was surprised and delighted with your author picks. At first, I looked at the title and thought I wrote something with a title like that LOL - when I opened it up, it brought a smile to my face. When I moved on to the next item, I knew just by the title it was mine. Oh, the fun of collecting the data for that article, it was a good learning lesson, and a path to move forward, knowing others faced the same difficulties with their writing of a novel. Thank you for showcasing both of my items.
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