‘Ello, everyone! In case you missed it, last week I talked about why I read books, part one of two posts (this being the second part, of course!) Soooo in this post, I’m making a list of why I WRITE books. (YOLO, right??!) 😀 I mean, what makes a person decide to pound out 60,000 words for fun? If you’ve ever wondered, or even if you know why, I think you’ll like my list. Oh, and I’d love to hear your thoughts! Let me know if you have anything to add to the list.
#1: Dump your problems on someone else, for a change!
I’ve found that giving my problems to little people in my head actually helps me to see things in a new light. Even if you’ve never written before, and don’t plan on sharing any of your writings with anyone else, when you’re done, it feels… refreshing.
Writing down your feelings is good, too, but when I make up characters for a story that’s all going to fit together, I have to think about what each person is feeling, and how the story is going to end based on what decisions the characters choose, what they’re thinking. Because I base my stories on real life experiences, when I think about how others feel, it gives me a better sense of empathy.
#2: Express your views and opinions without missing a beat! Be the heroine of your story.
Do you ever stand in front of a mirror and talk to yourself, pretending to tell that person off (bully, nuisance, acquaintance), with a thousand comebacks that you never thought of in the moment? I do! I love writing because I get to be the heroine of my story! I get to save the day. I get to pound that bully to the ground. Sometimes my main character is the one in the wrong, but they always end up on top. Your story gets to go the way you want it to. No one else can tell you how to write it.
#3: Writing helps talking.
That sounds weird, right? Let me explain. In order to write, I have to gather my thoughts together in a way that everything will make sense and be orderly, so others can read it. When it comes to my creative, for-fun writing, I’m a total panster. (In other words, I get an idea, I write as I go along, BOOM.) But at some point or another, I have to decide what things are important to the story, and which things need to go. So what I means by “writing helps talking” – because I’ve spent all this time thinking through what exactly needs to be said in my story, when I’m having a conversation with someone, I tend to think through what I say quicker and more efficiently, and I can get my words out more eloquently. Of course, I still get tongue-tied, and either stick my foot in my mouth or don’t say something I need to say, but that’s just Emily. 😉
#4: No one’s writing is the same.
We all have different voices, opinions, characters, story lines. Everything about your story is your own. Sure, they may be the same genre/story line/rather cliche characters, but it’s YOURS. Own it!
#5: Capture the feeling.
I have plenty of memories where I remember how I felt, but I don’t feel it anymore. When I read or write a book, the character’s emotions or feelings become my own. I can feel what the character is feeling. It’s incredible, really. Like I keep saying, even if you’ve never written a word before, you have the power to make someone feel something from your book. Not just learn a lesson (although those are plenty important, too!), but feel and grasp what the character (or the author), is feeling. It’s an amazing part of reading/writing a book, and it’s way under appreciated!
#6: Make up stuff!
We make up stuff in our heads all the time! Let me tell something. My cousins and I could star in a soap opera. When we were younger, we’d play “house” or “olden days” (we would pretend we were pioneers settling on new land). We would be “college girls” or “doctors.” We played a dozen “games” together, making stuff up! We have such a wild imagination! Those games we played would make for really dramatic novels, or really silly children’s books. (Somewhere in between.) 😉
When I write, all of those experiences and ideas blend together to make the coolest, most exciting, intense story. I always hated it when those games I played with my friends had to end. But when I write a story, it never has to end! (Well, it does at some point, but you know.) I can continue making up stories as I go along. I’m always jotting down ideas in my little notebook I carry with me. The fun never stops!
#7: It’s educational!
I know, I know – “education” sometimes sucks the fun out of everything. But it doesn’t have to with writing. (At least creative writing.) This is the thing that makes my parents and teachers happy. Even though I write for fun, I still want to my writing to be good. I’ll find myself searching for synonyms for words, or a word will pop into my head and I’ll have forgotten what it means, and I have to look it up. Reading expands the mind, but so does writing!
So that’s all I’ve got for this post! Can I just say that I didn’t even realize I had so many great (if I do say so, myself), reasons I had for writing?! And also, I’d like to add that these reasons can also be for blogging! (Especially #7, whether I mean it to be or not!)
Do you have anything to add? I’d love to hear from you all! Why do YOU write? (and remember #4 when you comment! I love talking to everyone!)
Great post as always! 😉
I haven’t actually started writing my book, I haven’t had any ideas, but recently I’ve had ideas bubbling over waiting to be out onto the screen. I’ve written before though, in diaries. Just feelings but never stories. I’ve had a couple weak starts but never anything I’m proud of……that was before I started writing fanfiction that is! Writing fanfiction was a good start for me because I’m writing more stories off of a book I already love and has strong characters. I was able to make a whole new life for Jess, make cassidy model, and write in Lucy’s POV (Emma’s friend in England) Anyway, that’s besides the point.
Writing is fun for me because I’m able to create an alternate universe for myself and my readers to dive into. I think you pretty much got every single thing on that list. Well done!!
I know writing fanfiction is a great start for lots of beginning writers! I wish I had known about it when I first started writing (although I was six or seven when I was writing my own little stories so the only fanfiction I’d be interested in would be Cam Jansen mysteries!) 🙂
Ohhh, LUCY! That’s such a great idea. I would love to read Lucy’s perspective!
I agree with Daisy[@ a Bookish Flower] in that you pretty much covered everything! I love to write (though, I’ve never really accomplished anything note worthy). Reading this just made me so excited to write right now! Hehe!
-Naomi
I know! Whenever I read a blog post that empowers to me to write, I’m all *sticks pencil in the air like a sword* “YEAH!” 😀
Great post, Emily! Your reasons are on point, for sure. I’ve attempted to write novels all the time. I have this great idea or concept, mainly influenced or sparked by an experience of mine, but that idea tends to burn out pretty fast ha ha (though my Harry Potter fanfiction went on for about 37K, or 100 pages, so I’m pretty proud of that ha ha). I especially like point #7, because when we write about something we particularly don’t know much about, what must we do? Research! I remember Heather Vogel Frederick’s blog post about researching owls for Absolutely Truly. That’s why I think delving into something we’d need to research more for is perfect, because then we’re learning new things while writing, and your readers will learn new things too! But yes, we also learn new words as well 😉 I see in your picture you have Age of Innocence, a book I lovedddd, and boy did I have to look up words all the time. I also think the language used hints us about the era it was written in, thus we are learning even more about that time period, not just the words used and the content provided.
Keep up the great posts! You’re absolutely right about everything 😀 (sorry for the ramble ha ha)
Ditto, ditto, and ditto.
I didn’t even think about talking about research!! Yes, I totally agree with that. Also I really really REALLY need to get to reading Age of Innocence. Ugh. My procrastination is at its best.
I agree with all your points, and I’m going to add on that I write books so that others may enjoy them and get caught up in the story. Too many books nowadays are filled with language and over the top romance, so I want to write young adult books that still have the awesome fantasy aspect and adventure, but are clean and wholesome.
Awesome post. 😀
Clean and wholesome. YES. I don’t even like going into the Young Adult section in Barnes & Noble – the covers give me the heebie jeebies. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who feels that way!
Though I do have to admit I’m a sucker for wholesome Christian romance. 🙂
Thanks, Katie!
Very interesting post. I’m not a writer but I want to become one. If I ever write a book I want to make it clean and something teens or Middle graders ( boys or girls) wouldn’t be ashamed to be seen with. You’ll make a great author.
I put your letter in the mail early this morning so the mailman will pick it up today. I finished Soccerland and I’m trying to decide what book I should start next. Its between Soul Surfer, City of Ember, Or Ella Enchanted.
Pinterest is so much fun. Do you like my pins? Anyone you think I should follow? Your pins are so cool.
I’ve got a horrible knot/bruise on my calf so I think I’m going to go do some stretching.
Hey. I was looking at bookscavenger.com and I discovered there is a book pretty close to where you live! You should check it out. I LOVED the book. Its so good.
I think you’ll make a fantastic author! Did I tell you I got another letter from Heather Vogel Frederick? Well, she gave me 3 tips for writing and one of them was to read! I think any bookworm, especially like you, would make a fantastic author.
Oh, good! I’ll probably get it today, then. It’s so pretty outside so I’m planning on sitting outside reading my book. I was going to pack for my trip, which we were leaving for tomorrow, but about an hour ago we got the news that my great-grandma died. She was 92. 🙁
Ooh I hate that. A few weeks ago I did something to my back (lol that sounds like it’s coming from my grandma) and it hurt to even move!! I was in so much pain. My mom had to help me do some stretches on the floor to ease it out. 🙁
OMG, thanks so much for telling me!! I’m going to look into that! Thanks, Brooke!!
Hey Brooke. What’s Bookscavenger?
Its a book that doesn’t come out till June. 50 people won copies and after they read it they had to hide it and then put on the website where they hid it. Then people can go on the website and find where people hid books and go find them. When they are done they hide the book and so on.
Well that’s cool. SO the only copies are the ones floating around from people that wo the copies?
I feel even more lame trying to answer this question than I did trying to explain why I read 🙂
“Because I love it” really isn’t helpful.
I write because I love words. I love crafting sentences. I love articulating the scenes playing through my mind. I love writing characters down so I don’t forget about them and so others can read them. I have yet to write a post that I’ve been meaning to for some time but I also write like an actress. Everything begins for me with the characters and usually a moment or two that fascinates me as much as reading a book or watching a tv show fascinates me. I write it down to go back to it the same way I go back to a favorite book 🙂
The trick is figuring out which ideas can expand to hold the weight of a whole novel and then others can engage with the characters too.