Why Do You Write?

Justin Nemo · 04-12-2012, 03:28 AM

In my short time here on MR, I have come to know some of the personalities, well maybe know is a strong word, who regularly contribute to posts. Every genre seems to be represented here, from the the violence of punk fiction to the little girl who walked down the fantasy lane into a world of wonder.

So why do we write and why are we drawn to the genre(s) we write in?

Personally I can't stop writing. I did try, I went to Writers Anonymous for a while, but they kicked me out for scribbling on my hand. Seriously though, I do find it difficult to stop and can get quite annoyed if forced to do so once an idea has blossomed. I've always loved history and mythological tales, so these subjects inspire me. What's your excuse?

dadioflex · 04-12-2012, 03:55 AM

The classic answer is that writers write because they have strong narcissistic tendencies.

That's why I post to forums.

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/duty_calls.png

Narcissism has negative connotations for many people but it's fairly natural. I'll be interested to see how many writers say they write primarily for the benefit of other people, rather than their own amusement.

Justin Nemo · 04-12-2012, 04:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dadioflex

The classic answer is that writers write because they have strong narcissistic tendencies.

That's why I post to forums.

http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/duty_calls.png

Narcissism has negative connotations for many people but it's fairly natural. I'll be interested to see how many writers say they write primarily for the benefit of other people, rather than their own amusement.

"Narcissism is a term with a wide range of meanings, depending on whether it is used to describe a central concept of psychoanalytic theory, a mental illness, a social or cultural problem, or simply a personality trait. Except in the sense of primary narcissism or healthy self-love, "narcissism" usually is used to describe some kind of problem in a person or group's relationships with self and others. In everyday speech, "narcissism" often means egoism, vanity, conceit, or simple selfishness. Applied to a social group, it is sometimes used to denote elitism or an indifference to the plight of others. In psychology, the term is used to describe both normal self-love and unhealthy self-absorption due to a disturbance in the sense of self."

I love that!!

Nancy Fulda · 04-12-2012, 04:43 AM

I write because the voices in my head won't shut up.

Over the years, I've added a lot of secondary motives -- I want to build a career, I want to transform readers' perspectives and so forth, but when you get right down to it, it's just another variant of climbing a mountain because it's there.

kennyc · 04-12-2012, 07:12 AM

I write for the same reason I've been given to believe many writers (at least in the fiction realm) do -- in an attempt to recreate that feeling that you got from reading a very special book. The desire to be able to recreate that in someone else. Isn't that why we do everything we do?

mr ploppy · 04-12-2012, 07:20 AM

I'm the exact opposite of a narcissist, though I do like to read my own stories. When I was young it was from a desire to be part of something and I couldn't afford to buy a guitar. I wrote fanzine articles and shouted poetry at people until I either got pushed off the stage or ran out of poems. These days it's fueled by anti-depressants giving me too much energy, and a general frustration at the lack of similar fiction.

Justin Nemo · 04-12-2012, 07:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kennyc

I write for the same reason I've been given to believe many writers (at least in the fiction realm) do -- in an attempt to recreate that feeling that you got from reading a very special book. The desire to be able to recreate that in someone else. Isn't that why we do everything we do?

Sounds a bit controlling doesn't it?

dadioflex · 04-12-2012, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr ploppy

I'm the exact opposite of a narcissist, though I do like to read my own stories. When I was young it was from a desire to be part of something and I couldn't afford to buy a guitar. I wrote fanzine articles and shouted poetry at people until I either got pushed off the stage or ran out of poems. These days it's fueled by anti-depressants giving me too much energy, and a general frustration at the lack of similar fiction.

I hate to be the one to break it to you...

kennyc · 04-12-2012, 08:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Justin Nemo

Sounds a bit controlling doesn't it?

Nope, not sure why you would take what I said that way.

Writing is a way of connecting with your reader, of sharing something. Writing provides the means for a reader to enter the world created by the writer, to learn, to experience, to share.

Take Nancy's story "Movement" for example. It gave me a way of experiencing autism from the inside.

James_Wilde · 04-12-2012, 10:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nancy Fulda

I write because the voices in my head won't shut up.

I love it, Nancy! Karma for that!

Steven Lyle Jordan · 04-12-2012, 10:29 AM

Most days, it beats the heck outta me.

mr ploppy · 04-12-2012, 10:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dadioflex

I hate to be the one to break it to you...

Exhibitionism was always an inherent part of any youth tribe.

Suzanna · 04-12-2012, 10:37 AM

I'm not sure why I write - I only know that I need to. I think it stems from my love of books. There's just something about a well told story and the idea of connecting with a reader that I find deeply satisfying.

I recently gave myself the old "you need to try to publish your writing or give it up" talk, and the idea of no longer writing almost gave me a panic attack!

Justin Nemo · 04-12-2012, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steven Lyle Jordan

Most days, it beats the heck outta me.

I've been there brother.

gmw · 04-12-2012, 12:19 PM

It seems to me that there are two questions buried in the subject line.

The stated: Why do you write?

I'm a late starter (a late bloomer? - well, I can hope). I've always wanted to write, though I can't really explain the desire. I had tried to start a few times, but it was only a few years ago that I finally found out how to do it (for want of a better explanation). I do know that actually writing is a lot different to what I ever imagined it to be, it is a far more involving experience than I expected. I've tried to explain the difference as: writing is to reading as reading is to watching a movie. And now I've started I find I can't stop ... not sure about "can't", I've not actually tried, I don't want to try. So my answer to the first question is simply: Because I want to, it gives me pleasure. There are other things I could be doing (often there are other things that I should be doing), but writing is what I want to do.

The unstated: Why do you want others to read what you write?

This is one I'm still trying to work out. Yes I do want others to read my books, I would dearly love others to find that reading my books put them in the same place I find myself while writing them ... but I don't know if that's realistic. I know what joy I get from reading some books, it would be a buzz to think that my work could do the same for others ... but I don't know if that's realistic either. It's an odd dichotomy. I've never really wanted to be famous (though I think I'd like to give rich a try

), but I do like idea that people would might like what I've done. ... Maybe dadioflex is right, though it's not something I'd ever thought of myself before.

04-12-2012, 03:28 AM	#1
Justin Nemo Stercus accidit Posts: 330 Karma: 513878 Join Date: Mar 2012 Device: Nookpadle 6	Why Do You Write? In my short time here on MR, I have come to know some of the personalities, well maybe know is a strong word, who regularly contribute to posts. Every genre seems to be represented here, from the the violence of punk fiction to the little girl who walked down the fantasy lane into a world of wonder. So why do we write and why are we drawn to the genre(s) we write in? Personally I can't stop writing. I did try, I went to Writers Anonymous for a while, but they kicked me out for scribbling on my hand. Seriously though, I do find it difficult to stop and can get quite annoyed if forced to do so once an idea has blossomed. I've always loved history and mythological tales, so these subjects inspire me. What's your excuse?

04-12-2012, 03:55 AM	#2
dadioflex Dyslexic Count Posts: 526 Karma: 5041991 Join Date: Aug 2008 Device: Palm TX, Advent Vega, iPad, iPod Touch, Kindle	The classic answer is that writers write because they have strong narcissistic tendencies. That's why I post to forums. http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/duty_calls.png Narcissism has negative connotations for many people but it's fairly natural. I'll be interested to see how many writers say they write primarily for the benefit of other people, rather than their own amusement. Last edited by dadioflex; 04-12-2012 at 03:59 AM.

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04-12-2012, 04:43 AM	#4
Nancy Fulda I write stories. Posts: 700 Karma: 16437432 Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Northern Germany Device: kindle	I write because the voices in my head won't shut up. Over the years, I've added a lot of secondary motives -- I want to build a career, I want to transform readers' perspectives and so forth, but when you get right down to it, it's just another variant of climbing a mountain because it's there.

04-12-2012, 07:12 AM	#5
kennyc The Dank Side of the Moon Posts: 35,891 Karma: 119230421 Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Denver, CO Device: Kindle2; Kindle Fire	I write for the same reason I've been given to believe many writers (at least in the fiction realm) do -- in an attempt to recreate that feeling that you got from reading a very special book. The desire to be able to recreate that in someone else. Isn't that why we do everything we do?

04-12-2012, 07:20 AM	#6
mr ploppy Feral Underclass Posts: 3,622 Karma: 26821535 Join Date: Jan 2010 Location: Yorkshire, tha noz Device: 2nd hand paperback	I'm the exact opposite of a narcissist, though I do like to read my own stories. When I was young it was from a desire to be part of something and I couldn't afford to buy a guitar. I wrote fanzine articles and shouted poetry at people until I either got pushed off the stage or ran out of poems. These days it's fueled by anti-depressants giving me too much energy, and a general frustration at the lack of similar fiction.

04-12-2012, 10:29 AM	#11
Steven Lyle Jordan Grand Sorcerer Posts: 8,478 Karma: 5171130 Join Date: Jan 2006 Device: none	Most days, it beats the heck outta me.

04-12-2012, 10:37 AM	#13
Suzanna Living in the past Posts: 432 Karma: 6011289 Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Toronto Device: Kobo Aura HD, Kobo Arc	I'm not sure why I write - I only know that I need to. I think it stems from my love of books. There's just something about a well told story and the idea of connecting with a reader that I find deeply satisfying. I recently gave myself the old "you need to try to publish your writing or give it up" talk, and the idea of no longer writing almost gave me a panic attack!

04-12-2012, 12:19 PM	#15
gmw cacoethes scribendi Posts: 5,818 Karma: 137770742 Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Australia Device: Kobo Aura One & H2Ov2, Sony PRS-650	It seems to me that there are two questions buried in the subject line. The stated: Why do you write? I'm a late starter (a late bloomer? - well, I can hope). I've always wanted to write, though I can't really explain the desire. I had tried to start a few times, but it was only a few years ago that I finally found out how to do it (for want of a better explanation). I do know that actually writing is a lot different to what I ever imagined it to be, it is a far more involving experience than I expected. I've tried to explain the difference as: writing is to reading as reading is to watching a movie. And now I've started I find I can't stop ... not sure about "can't", I've not actually tried, I don't want to try. So my answer to the first question is simply: Because I want to, it gives me pleasure. There are other things I could be doing (often there are other things that I should be doing), but writing is what I want to do. The unstated: Why do you want others to read what you write? This is one I'm still trying to work out. Yes I do want others to read my books, I would dearly love others to find that reading my books put them in the same place I find myself while writing them ... but I don't know if that's realistic. I know what joy I get from reading some books, it would be a buzz to think that my work could do the same for others ... but I don't know if that's realistic either. It's an odd dichotomy. I've never really wanted to be famous (though I think I'd like to give rich a try ), but I do like idea that people would might like what I've done. ... Maybe dadioflex is right, though it's not something I'd ever thought of myself before.

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