This post is part of the Insecure Writer’s Support Group (IWSG), an inspiring blog hop for writers of all kinds. For more details go to the main sign-up page, and make sure to drop by a few blogs while you’re there.
The co-hosts for the November edition of the IWSG are Jemi Fraser, Kim Lajevardi, L G Keltner, Tyrean Martinson and Rachna Chhabria. Make sure you head over to see these guys and share some IWSG love!
Each month the IWSG posts a question that can be used in the next blog post, as a guide for sharing thoughts and advice to fellow writers. This month the question is:
Albert Camus once said, “The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.” Flannery O’Conner said, “I write to discover what I know.” Authors across time and distance have had many reasons to write. Why do you write what you write?
Before I go ahead and answer this question, I’d just like to send my apologies to the fabulous IWSG team. Over the last few months I’ve been trying to get back into good blogging habits, posting more regularly and engaging with you lovely lot. I’ve added myself back on the IWSG sign-up list twice but, due to a severe lack of posting, my blog has been removed, and rightly so. I appreciate the purpose of this here blog hop and it’s a waste of people’s precious time to visit blogs that regularly fail to post anything that contributes.
I’m definitely one for perseverance though, so here I am again, adding my blog back on the list and I am contributing 🎉 Long may it continue …
As far as the question goes, I write what I write because otherwise the stories just get stuck in my head. Sometimes it’s just a snippet of something that sits and burrows its way into my subconscious, and other times there’s more of a story and flow, with characters making progress and actually getting somewhere. If I don’t take the time to write it out, it gets stuck in my mind like a broken record, continually going around in a loop until it’s let out and space is made for the next one.
I imagine the answer to this questions is similar for all of us. Yes, it’s nice to have appreciation for our art and maybe, just maybe, some financial reward. But this isn’t the sole reason for writing, at least not for me. I’ve got notebooks and computer space filled with writing that I’ve never shown to anyone. They’re just for me right now, but I’m sure that they’ll see the light of day eventually.
How about you? Why do you write what you write?
Hi Heather, hope you are well.
I sincerely hope you can get back onto the IWSG, the same thing happened to me earlier this year!
I can relate to stories getting stuck in your head. I am at a crossroads at the moment with about 5 different stories, I keep jumping from one to the other without dedicating to any of them. It;s fun, but also a bit frustrating!
Agreed that we all write for appreciation and reward. I hope you are getting yours.
Thanks for stopping by Chris. It certainly is frustrating to have so many stories in your head, but we need to discipline ourselves and dedicate set amounts of time to each one. If you think of something for the others, just jot it down so you don’t forget, but try and keep on task with what you should be. Good luck!
Welcome back, Heather. I was gone for a year until January, so I know exactly what you mean. It’s good to be fellowshipping again.
Thank you, Joylene. I do miss catching up with everyone on here, it’s such a wonderful community.
Welcome back, Heather! I agree, we all need to get those wild ideas on paper, those hints and sparks of story. Happy writing!
Thank you, Tyrean. Hopefully those sparks can ignite into something wonderful.
Welcome back. I agree that we need to get the stories stuck inside our heads out, pull them out through our writing.
Rachna Chhabria
Co-host IWSG
Rachna’s Scriptorium
Thank you, Rachna. It’s a wonderful kind of therapy to get the ideas out and do something with them.
Welcome back on board! I absolutely agree with what you said. Those characters just keep spinning their wheels in my head until I try to get them down on paper.
Thank you, Nick. I’m glad it’s not just me that has their characters tapping away inside their head, just begging to be let out.
Hi Heather! I can totally relate. I took many years off blogging and just came back. I agree–the ideas don’t leave me alone either till i write them out! Great to meet you! 🙂
It’s been so long since I’ve been a regular blogger, I often find myself wondering just what happened to me. Family, I suppose. The ideas are still there though, so I need to do something with them. Thanks for stopping by.
I write because I love it. To do otherwise would be crazy. 😉
Anna from elements of emaginette
You sum it up perfectly, Anna!
No one likes a broken record.
No worries – sorry I have to remove you but just keep coming back.
And I just culled the IWSG list and moved you up a little further.
🎉
No need to apologise, Alex. It’s my own fault for not keeping up with you all. I vow to do better though.
Writing is so freeing, right?
I’ve been kicked out a few times too. hehe. It isn’t easy sometimes. I’m glad to see you’ve made it back! 🙂
Thank you, Elizabeth. It’s great to be a part of such a welcoming community, makes me more determined to stay with it.