I write, first and foremost, because I enjoy it. No one but my self is in control for however long I may be doing it. I also believe that being responsible for creation of any kind validates a persons purpose for being created themselves. I don't mean to sound a bit preachy but it is what it is.
Opinion appreciated. A bit confused and need more explanation. I just dont see how feeling responsible for any creation is somehow a violation of one's own creativity, period. Maybe you can explain more so you sound less preachy than you think [especially if you omit the absolute "it is what it is" with there's little reason given]. I dont see how one's purpose for being creative can be validated. People are creative for many reasons, sometimes it is something that comes naturally or has developed through experience or hardwork.
I write like I speak and speak like I write. One feeds and nourishes the other. If I'm not writing or writing only what is absolutely necessary, the quality of my speech declines while the quantity increases. When I'm at my best, I'm writing a lot, I'm speaking intelligently and, hopefully, measuring my words carefully. The latter doesn't guarantee I won't point out to others that the Emperor is buck-naked, only that the odds are better that I will pause and ponder before I blurt it out. Writing fiction is something entirely different. It's not something that comes naturally to me. I'm not a born storyteller. I am a born editor, and it was as a fanfiction "beta reader" (God, I hate political correctness!), editing a virtual friend's stories a few years ago, that I got the itch. It wasn't one of those cases of "Damn! I can write better than that!" Not at all. My friend is a born storyteller. A damn good one. Where I helped out as editor was to a) tweak the dialogue so it sounded more like someone speaking instead of someone writing (i.e., using contractions), b) cut down on the redundancies (i.e., starting a chain of paragraphs or every sentence of a paragraph with "The" or "They"), c) occasionally do a complete rewrite of a paragraph to show how it might be done differently, and d) clean up punctuation. Editing a number of stories, some of them as much as twenty-two chapters in length, was mutually beneficial. We both grew along the way. However, it also eventually led me to the realization that I was over-editing, substituting my voice for the author's. It was recognizing that I indeed had a fiction voice, along with encouragement from the author, that jump-started my first attempt at a story of my own. It took me several months, but I did actually finish that story. Well, I sort of finished it. It was intended to lead to a second story, and then to a third. My own little trilogy, so to speak. However, events related to the show upon which the fanfic was based advanced to a point where the details of my story became obsolete. I tied things up as best I could and my "trilogy" joined that long list of "unfinished" works. I tried writing a couple of back-story-based fanfics but only progressed a couple of chapters in each before bailing and going into full shutdown mode. I did some more "beta reading" after that, but that too eventually closed up shop. So, why am I here, writing this overwrought answer to a very simple question: why do I write? Because my life's situation has changed. Drastically. For the worse but also for the better, and one of the "betters" is now I have time and energy to devote to my "leap list". I'm old enough and have already experienced most of the typical "leap list" events, but "bucket list" is too negative. Besides, when I die, no matter how I go, I fully intend to leap into Eternity. I stopped writing fiction but never lost the desire to want to write fiction. I've picked up a few books --- okay, more like a shelf full --- on writing fiction, but they have been at best thumbed through but mostly gathered dust when not in boxes during a move. At last some of those books are now being read. That fanfic story I wrote? It's still on my hard drive. The last time I read it was five years ago. It's awful, and I haven't even finished reading my first fiction writing workshop book to know that. What plot there is peaks before the story is half over. With the rest of it, before and after the peak, I'm stumbling around, kind of knowing where I want to be at the end, but clearly not sure exactly how I'm going to get there. There's w-a-y too much dialogue. The dialogue reads well, but that's probably because it all sounds like me, and God, do I know how to lean on clichés! That first story is a train wreck, beyond hope of salvaging. Years ago, I would have used it to give myself a beat down so brutal it would have taken my psyche months to recover. I'm not doing that with this story. As I read it, amongst all the crap were a few moments when I couldn't help but grin, shake my head and think, "Did I write this? I can't believe I actually came up with this!" Out of that first story, and the other two barely started stories, I found a few nuggets, a little confidence that yes, there just might be a fiction writer buried deep inside of me. I'm not writing fiction to be published. I've already seen enough of my writings published or heard over the airwaves to satisfy my ego. I'm writing fiction to see if that writer/speaker I described at the beginning of this rant can dig deep inside, and, out of experience, study and imagination, create something I can enjoy, pat myself on the ass, and, as I choose, share with others. If, by some miraculous series of events, some fiction of mine does end up being published, I'll throw a party. That's why I write!
What compells you to write? It's become an addiction. I love writing! I love to share my thoughts, feelings and talents and to hear people say 'Wow, that was good, Jade!' Why do you write? I love writing. It was once used to help me relieve my stress of being bullied but as time progressed I loved doing it. I could escape this world and transform into another where I am in control. Not just that but I love sharing my thoughts (like my answer above). What makes you write what you write? I enjoy writing novels. Years ago my short stories started becoming novels because with an unexhaustable word limit I could tell the reader more about my characters are their lives and thus becoming more attatched to them. I write blogs to help develop my confidence before I decide to publish my novels. What Made you decide you liked to write? I think when I realised I was writing more often. It wasn't a paragraph a week or a short story a month, it became more frequent and I was putting way more effort into researching and editing. I think writing my first novel was the turning point. What Do You Write? Novels (three on the go, one in the final editing stage, one in a patchy draft format and the other is only in the drafting stage - I go between the three as and when I get inspiration), short stories for competitions and blogs.
(Subject/title, I write to share my knowledge and experiences with others). I took from my language (English) what I could understand, to be understood. I am not crazy about verbs and nouns and such, but I do understand sentence structuring. I am questioning free style for structured writing (abc-123). I use the title/subject as a quick way of seeing the whole letter. Then I use the eclispes (as a point or a secondary thought within the sentence) like this with HTML language some times). This is my (style of writing). I would rather use cursive writing but some forums do not allow it. Thoughts please. pljames
Why did you write? Nobody would talk to me so I entered the laptop market. This is my third machine in six months. I caress the keyboard like this lkhgjdcxj5555555555555555 sh,fek NO I , sorry, am not deaf, of course I do not. What, autoprompt, geez. Where was I? Where do you write In bed, I believe one should write from experience of life, ya. What are you wearing? Finest Turkish silk pyjama What do you write about? My quest to eliminate ALL pixies, Harry Potter, cats and anything with the word sience, and vampire children What is your plan? How will you achieve all this? Thank you. According to the voices from the radio all will be revealed.
What compells you to write? If I go more than a day without it, I feel like I am going to burst with all the ideas in my head. Why do you write? Why do I write? I write because I have to. I think if a writer puts, "Because I want to," then they are not a writer. One is not truly a writer until there want for words on paper becomes a need, an actual physical pain when it does not happen. What makes you write what you write? Who knows? My mind? My soul? My me-ness? What Made you decide you liked to write? My head is so full of ideas that I don't think I could be happy doing anything else. What Do You Write? Novels and short stories about humans.
I cannot see the words in my head. I like to see my words printed. I think words identify us as unique individuals. It would seem people like to communicate with each other. Even tho English (or any language) has faults within itself and the writer is still misunderstood. There is more than one way to make a point. One can learn from other writers a better way to say anything. What is the writer trying to say. To me the title/subject is the main point of the whole piece. What do I write...to learn too teach and to share. pljames
I've always been a creative person who enjoyed drawing, writing, and creating my own worlds. However, in the past several years my major motivators for writing anything have been heavily political. I wanted to use creative writing as my outlet for political activism and reforming the world. Upon recent reflection I have realized that having a political agenda can interfere with storytelling. For instance, if you want to uplift a marginalized ethnic minority by creating sympathetic characters from that ethnicity, making those characters multidimensional and realistic is very difficult if not impossible. Now I'm feeling disillusioned about the whole thing.
I write because late at night, when I can't fall asleep, I think my thoughts as if I'm writing them down for the world to read. And it comes naturally.
Because it's a challenge I love! It's a way for me to play with my imagination and escape 'ordinary life' every now and then.
I mainly write my short stories and poems as a way to transfer my emotions. I used to get into fights a lot and that was my way of show my emotions. I now use writing as a way to show this. I grew up with an abusive dad and I got bullied a lot in lower school so I use the writing to show my feelings about this.
What compels you to write? A fascination with the creative process and a desire to be part of it. Why do you write? Because I enjoy the power of creating a story and seeing it affect other people. Making people laugh is one of the supreme joys in life, I think. I want it more. What makes you write what you write? I'm enamored with technology and it's implications. And nothing gets my imagination running like a little space opera. What made you decide you liked to write? The first time someone read what I wrote and laughed. What do you write? Science fiction, mostly.
1.) The exploration of human interactions and the simple need of creating. 2.) See previous answer. 3.) My anger for the fucking idiots in my classes. it helps me vent 4.) Nothing... i kinda just made up stories as a child (at absurdly young ages) why the hell would i stop? (or how?) 5.) I write about the mind and try to understand it like a computer. through these observations i take standards in the modern teenage culture and play with them like puppets > through this i learn how to manipulate simpler minds. it doesn't really work but it's still a better use of my time than the bullshit educational system i'm in now.
To vent ideas. I can't stand the fact that all of my stupendous ideas as a teenager would be drowned in mortgage and grown-up things when I'm older, and sadly forgotten. I like to log my things on this site to check back to when older.
What compels you to write? Frustrations, strong emotion Why do you write? I feel better when I am done, although going into it, I become exceptionally anxious. What makes you write what you write? It's all I can think about until I write it down. What Made you decide you liked to write? I don't know. I'm not sure I do like it, if that makes sense. I like having written something, but I don't think I enjoy the feeling of writing. Kind of like running. Can't stand running, but stopping does feel so good. Can't have the stopping without the running. What Do You Write? Fiction in private. Jounaling in public.
Diving Deep I write in order to explore and share meaning, sorrow, joy, and truth with those who enjoy reading and writing.
I write because I like to feel like I'm embarking on an adventure with my characters, to experience something new and explore previously unexplored areas.
Many reasons, as I'm sure almost everyone in this thread has replied. But primarily my writing is relevant; I try and work thought and political weight into what I write. The novel I'm working on serves as a platform for political theory, my reflections on war and ethics. The entire concept spawned and poured from my passionate disagreements when I was at secondary school, just a few years back. The things I felt in those awful years of my life lead me to start writing. Now, I have discovered more, and I will inevitably discover even more in the future, to write about. But I am, at core, a writer of ethics and reflections. I write to engage, to express and to ask questions.
MUST... WRITE. The stories in my brain are like those songs you hear and then hear for the rest of the day. Or month. They just don't go away until you write them down. People reading your ideas and enjoying something you wrote is one of the most amazing feelings ever. Reading something you wrote long ago and thinking "holy shit, this is good! WHAT WILL HAPPEN NEXT?" is also amazing. But maybe I'm easily amused.
I love writing because I love exploring the human condition. I like to get into minds and hearts, how would they feel or behave in this or that situation and why, good or bad. Its why love reading, genealogy and history too. I find all four of these paths cross for me. I love people. Probably why I became a nurse.
I write to touch the soul, make people think and churn the wheel of creativity and knowledge. I want people to expand their imagination with the 'what if's' and 'how come?' We can't answer all questions but we can theorize. To show developing relationships on paper to make the come to life is the absolute beauty of feeling, both touch and emotion. I write for the characters, for different aspects of human emotion. What I write is also a mixture of eastern philosophy and plot mechanics. But yeah...I can't wait to move the plot and characters forward
