It would be better for you, the reader, if I could title this blog post, ‘Why You Should Write,’ since that would be more interesting and applicable to you. However, it turns out I’m not as well informed about you as I am about me. In hopes that one writer’s motivations may apply to someone else, I urge you to read on nonetheless.
The simple answer to why I write is that I cannot do otherwise. The creative, story-telling impulse is too strong to resist; my muse screams too loudly when I don’t write. In that manner, it is easier to write than to abstain.
All of that is true, but it wasn’t always so. I didn’t always have a story to tell. Even when I did, my doubts about writing outweighed my desire to do so. Of doubts I had many. How could I possibly write as well as the authors whose stories I read and loved? How could I ever hope to convey ideas and provide entertainment in such a clever and skillful manner? I understood that writing took time; could I spare that time? I knew beginning writers got a lot of rejections; could I deal with them?
Further, I had not done well in English classes in school. Enjoyed—yes; excelled—definitely not. In college I majored in a branch of engineering. Engineers are not known for their language skills. An ability to write well is actually frowned upon, and could get you tossed out of the Engineers Guild. (I’m kidding, of course–at least about there being a Guild).
So, despite a lack of writing skills, a lack of confidence in my English ability, and despite an inferiority complex when I compared myself to the world’s best authors, despite all those things, I still took up a pen and scribbled. Why?
Looking back, I did have three things going for me. First, I had a strong interest in reading fiction. Loved it. Devoured books, especially science fiction. Second, I am creative by nature. I delight in imaginative brainstorming, but not so much with other people, as brainstorming is normally done. I seek to come up with solutions to problems that are unique and interesting to me. Third, I’m one of those self-improvement nuts. Phrased more positively, I was willing to spend the time trying to improve a new skill. I’m willing to push on past minor failures along the way to achieving a goal.
These attributes didn’t pop up out of nowhere, of course. I was influenced by my parents. Much as Jules Verne gained a sense of precision and skill with words from his lawyer father, and a sense of romance and knowledge of human relationships from his mother, I too was a product of separate influences from my parents. Thinking about it now, my own parents separately bequeathed me important attributes necessary to be a science fiction writer. Thanks, Mom and Dad!
In summation it appears that, for me, the impulses to become a writer overcame the opposing factors (the doubts, lack of skills, etc.). After that, like any hobby, the snowball effect took over and the habit of writing became self-sustaining. I found I enjoyed writing the more I practiced it and the more I learned about it. My critique group helped hone my skills and provided an encouraging atmosphere. Eventually, I felt confident enough to submit stories to the marketplace. Lastly, getting stories accepted and published provided the most powerful incentive of all to write more.
That’s why I write, and if you’re wondering if you could take up writing as a hobby or vocation, perhaps some of the items I discussed apply to you too. More likely, your reasons will be different. Did this blog post trigger some thought of agreement or disagreement? Write to me here and let me know.
Poseidon’s Scribe
