In this recent guest post to Jeff Goins’ blog, author Brandon Clements posed this simple question, Why do you write?
To inspire? To critique, teach, or motivate? To remember (or forget)? For self-expression? Because you have a fire burning in your bones, and you simply must?
“You want to touch your readers,” Clements wrote, and he went on to tell us the simplest way to do it. The post is inspiring, to put it lightly, and left me eager to create. To write. To touch my readers.
Because I know the answer to that question.
I’ve been asked “Why do you write” before, and I reflexively answer, “Because I’m compelled to do it.” That’s the truth. But it doesn’t get to the point of why I keep writing, share my work, market myself, put hours into this blog, send weekly newsletters, write as many guest posts as I can manage, scribble away in my journal everyday with book ideas… I want to be a writer, but I haven’t ever had a better reason than that. Until now.
I write to motivate.
My new, snazzy About page says I “share writing tips and anecdotes for dreamers in search of a path,” because I know how many of us are locked into that vague idea I want to be a writer without any real understanding of where that road can lead.
My newer, SNAZZIER Start Here page says, “I write about what I’m doing, because some people have told me it’s inspiring. And I share what I’m learning, because the information and resources available to dreamers like us are endless, and we need to share what we discover.” My goal for everything that I write, whether I give it away for free or sell it (for cheap), is to motivate YOU.
You are a dreamer.
You are an artist.
You are a planner.
You are a creator.
You have potential.
But maybe you’re afraid or at least a little hesitant. Dreamers tell me all the time that they wish they could do what I’m doing, wish they had the cahones to make the moves I’ve made. I’m writing now to tell YOU that you can. There’s really nothing to it — you just have to decide what to do next.
A 17-year-old girl told me after a live reading last week that I’m very brave and she admires strong women. I never believed I would become that person to anyone.
Somehow on this winding path, I have found a purpose. I know without hesitation the answer to that pervasive question, Why do you write?
And that. Feels. So. Good.
Sooo…. Why do you write?
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Image credit: Kriss Szkurlatowski
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