Writer, Know Your Why

Do you know your why? Why do you write?

Why do you want to write? 

Why do you need to write?

Why write this book? Why write this story? Why write this essay or article?

Of all the puzzles that come up during this whole writing endeavor, it’s these questions we need to answer first. Or at least, we need to answer them eventually.

Some want to write a book to tell their own story. Others “Why Write?” is to give life to an idea they think is going to be really cool. Some write to teach. Some write to learn. Some write to promote something else they’re doing. Some write for the creative outlet, some for intellectual stimulation.

Why do you write?

“We do not write because we want to; we write because we have to.”

(attributed to W. Somerset Maugham)

That quote resonates with me, and I’m sure a lot of other writers.

Writing is a compulsion. 

Okay, but WHY is it a compulsion?

Everyone will have a different “Why Write?” answer, and none of them are wrong, but if your answer isn’t right for you, then things will get difficult.

Why did I want to be a writer? Why do I write?

Because I just always thought it would be something I would do. It was never a question for me if I should write a book, only when and how. And then I tried it, and it was hard, and I quit. I repeated that process dozens of times. 

My why eventually became “because I want to prove to myself that I can do it.” So I did it. 

I still feel like giving up on it at times, and wonder if it will be something I’ll continue to do forever, but so far I’m always coming back to the page. So far, I have to.

I write because I love books and stories.

I write because I have a creative urge that can’t be quelled. To be honest, I don’t know the why behind that. It’s just a part of me.

I wrote stories when I was a child, but there have been long periods when I wasn’t a writer. Even so, in those non-writing times I have always been creative. When I was in my late teens and twenties, I didn’t write at all, but I crafted, I drew and painted, and sang, and played guitar.

I write because creation satisfies me, and writing, communicating thoughts for entertainment or guidance, scratches that itch better than any other form of creativity. I write to sort out my thoughts, to work out what I know.

I enjoy writing like I enjoy nothing else in my life. Writing is my soul food. Further, I want my writing to not only feed my soul, but also feed my family in a very ordinary paying the bills kind of way.

That’s my why.

What’s yours? Why do you write?

Some Guiding Ideas On Figuring Out Your “Why Write?”…

• How do you feel when you think about writing?
• How would it make you feel if you knew that you would never write a book?
• How do you feel when you are sitting down, writing?
• How do you feel when you’ve finished a writing session?
• How does it make you feel when you imagine your words in print? 
• What do you hope for after your book is done?

Why Is It important To Know Your Why?

Because writing can be difficult. Even for those for whom writing comes naturally and is a source of incredible satisfaction and spiritual reward, it’s still difficult. And when things get hard, most of us are wired to want to run far, far away from that hard thing. 

He who has a why can endure any how.

Frederick Nietzsche – Twilight of the Idols

Knowing your why keeps you coming back, one word after another.

Knowing your why is what helps you look at the giant mess you’ve made in the first draft and give you the energy to get in there and muck it out, turning it into a polished manuscript and finally, a book.

Knowing your why is the reason to keep going. Even if that’s just to prove to yourself that you can.

Perhaps you’ve already started a book or had a few attempts at starting. Maybe you’ve been refining the same three opening chapters for the last ten years. 

The lack of a clear why might be the reason you don’t have a book yet.

Knowing your why defines your focus and can rocket charge your productivity.

Creating with a clear understanding of purpose is energizing and creates an overwhelming sense of positive momentum that can filter through to the rest of your life.

When I’m in that laser-focused productive mode, everything in the world feels right. It’s a blissful experience, and chasing that feeling in itself is a motivator. But even when I’m in a sluggish phase (and yes, they happen all the time), keeping that sense of purpose in the back of my mind pushes me through the obstacles, often against the odds.

The next time you’re struggling (and for all of us, there’s always a next time) ask yourself, “Why write?” 

Why are you doing this? Why is it worth seeing yourself and your project through that struggle? What’s your goal in both the practical sense (why write the actual project) and the more spiritual sense (what it’s worth to you in terms other than money or publication)?

Know your why and everything else falls into place.