Why I Write

I recently offered some writing survival tips for moms (and it will work well for dads too) in the recent issue of the Mom-Writers Literary Magazine.

http://www.momwriterslitmag.com/GuestFeature8.htm

And just this past week, Randy Ingermanson posed the question in his new blog: "What Drives You to Write Fiction?"

http://www.AdvancedFictionWriting.com/blog

Good question. For me the answer can be summed up: Because I love to read fiction. I love a good story. Characters who may or may not be like me. The hills and valleys of excellent prose. It has to do with an interest in the human cognitive--what makes a person/character do what s/he does?

Non-fiction is interesting too, yet nothing is more relaxing than reading a fascinating novel. But whether I'm writing a 95,000 word novel, or a non-fiction essay, writing is something that absolutely feeds my soul.

To quote myself from the above MWLM article: "I breathe easier when I write. It rounds out my identity even when I’m writing this article and have no idea if it will ever be read by another person. I reap joy and fulfillment . . . and incredible busyness so that by ten in the morning I am left literally breathless with all the things I want to accomplish."

Now the question becomes to my fellow commentators--why do you write?