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Wednesday, February 29, 2012

The Joy of Writing



We all write for different reasons and have different goals, but hopefully we all find joy in the work. Otherwise, why bother. Writing can be a hair yanking test of patience and disappointment, so when we have opportunities to celebrate, we should. I thought I would share a few of the things I enjoy about my newfound hobby of writing. Here's the top 5 countdown.

5- Writing keeps me occupied with a meaningful project and challenges my mind
4- Writing allows me private time to think and let my imagination wander
3- Writing allows me the time I need to articulate my ideas in an intelligible way, instead of rambling incoherently like I do when I speak.
2- It is SOOOO rewarding to hear from a reader who enjoyed the book or who learned a meaningful lesson. This is true whether it is a family member or a complete stranger.
1- It feels GREAT to hold that book in my hands for the first time, thumb through the pages and stare at the cover. It's a sense of accomplishment that is hard to match. In short, writing is one way I have found to magnify a talent.

Why do you write? What about writing is most fulfilling for you and where do you find the most joy?

7 comments:

Cindy Beck, author said...

Nice post. I write for the same reason men climb Mt. Everest ... because it's there. :)

Diane Stringam Tolley said...

Ditto, ditto, ditto, ditto and ditto.
And creating worlds. I LOVE creating worlds!

Michael Offutt, Phantom Reader said...

I write basically because it's kinda fun. All the revising afterward though isn't all that fun.

Steve Westover said...

Mt. Everest? That's some serious ambition. It is definitely fun to create something new and I actually really enjoy the editing process quite a bit. Once the hard creative work is finished, I really like tweaking and trying to tighten the story and make it more exciting.
Thanks for the comments!

Britney Gulbrandsen said...

Great post! I can't wait for #1 to be a reality for me!

I write because it challenges me. I write because it gives me something to strive for. But, most importantly, I write because it makes me happy.

JoAnn Arnold said...

I totally agree with all your reasons. They are very much like mine.

Steve Westover said...

Britney, finding happiness in writing is the ultimate purpose. The other stuff is just gravy. Good luck!