What Drives Your Writing?

While we writers love what we do, no one said it was easy. More often then not writing can feel like a bit of an uphill struggle. So why do we do it? What drives us to keep going even in the face of self-doubt, rejection, loneliness, and vulnerability? What keeps us motivated even when we feel like every criticism is personal? What makes us write even when our minds do everything to distract us, and we realize we haven’t taken a day off in years?!

Every so often it’s good to take a step back and remember what it is that makes us write, what keeps us passionate about our writing and stops us from packing it all in, even when the going gets tough.

While everyone has their reasons, here are some of the common drivers that keep writers writing.

Sharing our wisdom, knowledge, and stories with the world. Writers have a desire to tell people things. They want them to understand the information, to believe in the stories, to feel the benefits of the things they know, the places they’ve been,  the people they’ve met, and the things they’ve seen and done. Writers want to share their experience of the world.

To relate to our readers. There is nothing more satisfying in the world than the knowledge or even the hope that our writing has touched our readers in some way. Whether it motivates them to make a change, inspires them to keep soldiering on, heals their broken hearts, helps them move on, let go, shed a tear, smile or laugh out loud, the fact that it can relate to people on that raw and human level is a great motivator!

To find meaning in our own lives. Writing is incredibly cathartic - there is no denying that. By writing our stories, we can know ourselves better,  unlock things we’ve kept hidden, unpick the things that have confused us or to work through things that we’ve felt too scared to face. Exploring emotions, relationships and other worlds can be exceedingly helpful and healing, and enrich the writer’s life just as much as those of the people who read their stories.

To learn and improve. There is always more to learn and ways to improve our writing, to better ourselves, to experiment and find different paths to explore. Writing is excellent for that as it gives the writer limitless opportunities to express their creativity, and showing one's creative self is incurably satisfying indeed.

Writing is a gift that gives in so many ways. While it demands a great deal and can be exhausting, frightening, and disappointing it is the above that makes it so worthwhile and why writers have the drive, the passion and the desire to keep writing despite all of that.

What drives you to write? Share with us here!

Bethany Cadman -author of 'Doctor Vanilla's Sunflowers'

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One Comment

1. 

   Heather Hargrave

   September 26, 2018 at 12:37 am

   Ah. What drives me to write? Usually, it is the adventure
   of motherhood and some of my family “weirdness” moments.
   But the rest of the time, I am focusing on the events
   in my life which tested my mettle. I learned from
   all types of people how to sharpen my sword on their
   hearts. I also chose to grow as a
   person and make mistakes rather than hold on to
   wayyy too much baggage and then blame others.
   I know why I did what I did in my younger years
   and I have allowed those things to teach me and
   strengthen me. I am proud of the woman, the mom,
   and the business woman I have become. God and my
   faith have held me. My family has seen me prosper
   and also watched me mope after loss or setbacks.
   I still wake from dreams with poems or songs in
   my head. I have a heart for the homeless because
   I experienced that long ago, for a few months.
   I also am passionate about children and their
   needs. I believe everyone should have the freedom
   to be an individual. I thoroughly enjoy being ME!
   I encourage my family to be themselves.
   I encourage women and some men that I coach
   to find their strength and develop their unique
   selves.

   Reply