Why I Write (Part I)

I write because…

It energizes me. Writing is like working a muscle, and the more that I use it, the stronger it gets, and the more I want to return and “build reps,” so to speak.

I enjoy the craft. Story is, in many ways, a science, and I love having a skill that I’m constantly honing. Something always to tinker with, to improve, to cultivate. At times it drives my inner perfectionist crazy, but I’ve come to have peace with the ever-present knowledge that I can always improve. I love learning how to make my writing better, how to tighten the plot, how to make my world feel a little more real.

It makes me more empathetic. The practice of working through the thought process, motivations, feelings, and personal history of someone different from you — even if they’re fictional — has changed the way I see others. It has helped me learn how to better share and understand feelings outside of my own.

I love stories. The impulse to tell stories is written onto the human heart. We’ve shared tales for as long as we’ve existed as a species. They help us connect with others and they bind us together. Stories can both tell history and shape it. They can make us feel and lift us up. And they certainly make our world a better place. 💛

💌 What about you? Why do you read/write?