The 5 Reasons Behind Your Writing

You are a writer.

Or wait… are you?

The last time you checked, self-doubt was creeping in, telling you that you can’t possibly be a writer. Writers are those sophisticated people that flesh out thousands of words per day and are surrounded by fans who are begging them for books.

You might think, “My writing will never even be good enough so why call myself a writer?”

 Also, there are thousands… wait, actually, millions of stories out there. Some are remembered for generations and others suffer and disappear in the ever-growing pile of scratch paper. 

“Mine will just end up in that pile of despair. Why do I need to write a story? Every good idea is already taken and people can just read what’s already out there.

Besides, it’s just one more story.“

1. You Write Because You Are a Writer

I know you all are blinking at me.

“Like… duh.”

Wait, I can’t tell you how important it is to know this. If you write, it doesn’t matter how “good” you are. If you write, it doesn’t matter if you’ve just started this week. If you write, it doesn’t matter if you’ve been nominated for the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Being a writer simply means you are a creator with words.

If you fill that category then you already have one (clearly obvious) reason for writing a book.

How can an artist not create? How can a dancer not dance? How can a singer not sing? For true writers, it should be the same. Whether you just write for a hobby or it’s a career passion, we write because we love writing. There have been millions of cooks in the world. Why? Because people always need to eat.

The same is true with writing. People write because people love and will always want to read. 

Writers write because that’s who they are. 

2. Communication. 

Everyone has a message. In the Twenty-First Century, it is kind of overrated. We hear so many messages that sometimes our ears are ringing and we just want to say, “Please stop!”

I get it. Sharing messages is an ingrained part of who we are as humans. We have something we want to share. Something we want to broadcast everywhere. And yes, we communicate through fiction, not just non-fiction! 

A form of communication is writing. We write because we need to share something so badly our hearts might burst. A story is your chance to communicate unlike any other. In this day and age, it is the best time for writers to become published communicators, sharing their messages throughout the world. However, we also have to be careful to line our ideas up with reality and truth.

3. To Influence, Encourage, and Uplift People 

You have this message, right? This idea or truth you need to get out there and share with the world. 

But why?

One of my favorite writing quotes is from Martin Luther, “If you want to change the world, pick up your pen and write.”

How true this is. Imagine the stories that have in a way changed your life? I know that The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes has kept me up, teaching me about crime and logical deduction. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe has caused me to burst into tears at times and feel the power of sacrifice and forgiveness. What would life be like if we had never had Crime and Punishment, War and Peace, To Kill a Mockingbird, Jane Eyre, and Pride and Prejudice? 

Just pause and meditate at how horrific that would be.

You can stop crying. We do have these books with their heart-wrenching, gut-clenching, jaw-dropping ideas that have changed human history. 

Another writer has probably felt strongly about the same ideas as you but there is something about it that will be different from the other jillion times it’s been spoken.

It’s coming from your lips.

4. It’s Your Story

For those who are about to shake their head and slam the computer shut, hold up. 

Here is the answer you’ve been waiting for. 

Why do authors write when there are so many books out there with threads of the same plot and theme? 

It’s because stories will never be completely original, but the writer is always original. 

Case study: people have done the ‘chosen one’ trope millions of times. From Harry Potter to the Pevensie kids, people eat up these daring children who were ‘born to save the world’.

For us authors out there, I know we are kind of tearing our hair out every time we see this trope over again and again. However, why do we flip to the cover of a book and when we see “this young child who was destined to save this dying country, is the only one who can defeat the villain and bring every back to order” we put it on our bucket list. There are two reasons. One, if done well, the ‘chosen one’ trope can be totally awesome!

And two, because these are different authors with different messages with different characters fighting against different forms of evil.

I’m not talking about fan-fiction. We’ve all been at the point when it’s basically just copying almost everything: plot, characters, and sometimes even words. We have to be careful not to copy because if you do people will mutter sarcastically, “I wonder where they got this from” and it is also plagiarism. 

But for those, who are crying and spending sleepless nights, pouring over pages and pages of ideas, saying, “I have to be original!” 

I’m here to tell you that you’re original which makes your writing original.

“What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.” Ecclesiastes 1:9, NIV

This shouldn’t be discouraging but a doorway to finding your story and your message through your original and unique perspective.  

Your story is original because YOU are original. 

5. It’s A Form of Worship

If you asked me, “Why do you write?” I would answer this way. “Because God has given me words to express him and it is a way to reflect the One True Story.” You may be a Christian, you may not, but this reason for me is the most important. I write because God has called me to write and He wants me to show light in a broken and dark world

I am reflecting and worshiping Him by showing the world what He is like. 

A Creator.

An author. 

He is writing my story and he is writing yours. 

So does that clear up the purpose behind your madness? People NEED to know why they do things so that in tough times they can keep going. Make a chart of the reasons you write and put it up where you can see it daily. I promise you it will benefit you and spur you on.

Share in the comments why YOU think you write. What’s the driving force that churns your thoughts and words? What was one reason behind your passion?

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See ya! 

Eden 😉