Why Do I Write?

Now, I am not a published, professional author, but this is a question I have been asked a lot. Sometimes I'm happy to give an answer; other times it just irks me. People question why I write - they question why a lot of people do certain things, even when those things are things they are passionate about - as their question will make me change my mind. As if I will suddenly go, 'OMG I've been wasting all this time writing for no apparent reason!'

Over. My. Dead. Body.

I write because I love it. I write because I want to create images with words and create worlds with those images. I write because there is nothing else in the whole entire universe that can make me feel the way I feel when I write. I write because when I see books on shelves in libraries and bookshops I want see my name up there beside them and be able to say that 'That's my book!'

I write because if I didn't I would go insane in a bad way.

(As you can tell I'm in a bit of a bad mood, but please, bear with me. I need to vent. Apologies dear readers, but I'm sure you're used to this by now. If you're not, you will be soon...)

I write because I want to get better at it and writing is something you can always improve on. I am by no means at the level I would like to be, but there's always hope. I write because it's the way I express myself - and if there are certain people who have a problem with that, so be it.

*is calming down* Sorry, again. I was trying to blog constructively...in case any of our readers just happened across the post and it helped them. But it's turned into more of a rant, hasn't it? *sighs* OK, I'll try to make it more constructive....even if I'm the only one who reads this and it give me a bit of morale when I'm feeling down about the whole failing-to-finis-anything-decent thing. (But you don't really know about that, do you? I won't say it write now, because that's a whole other rant and a half, but you can probably guess...)

Writing is about works in progress. Things don't have to happen instantaneously. I'm naturally impatient and that trait doesn't go away when it comes to writing. So, readers or future self; try to be patient. Even just a little bit. Type as fast as like, if you think that'll help the idea go down better, but remember that you'll have to revise anyway, and the most important thing is to get it written.


Writing is often a solitary pastime. Let's just say that I don't think I could be as dedicated to writing if I was more extroverted and hated being alone...Speaking as a self-confessed introvert, this doesn't bother me; but sometimes it bothers people around me, knowing I would prefer to be writing - and sometimes I do wish I knew more people who liked to write. However, I do have Tora, and she's invaluable to me. Words, much as I love them, cannot describe it. And I have, slowly, found other people like me, and that feeling is great.

And finally; not everything you're going to write, are writing, or have written, will be brilliant. It may even be terrible. But don't despair. Perseverance may be a long-term investment, but it will, eventually, pay off - practice makes perfect.

And I'm going to end this here, because I should get back to actually doing what this whole post is about, if I'm as diligent as I profess to be.

Allie