I was reading Mark Koopman's (Mark Koopmans: Vignettes from VA (and DC, Too!) blog post and started to answer his question when I decided to write a blog post stating why I continue writing.
There is no single reason why I do so. I do harbor some vague notion that I might write something that someone someday will enjoy, maybe even a lot of someones. But that's putting the cart before the horse.
I like writing because I enjoy seeing a story develop and come to life.
I enjoy the surprises I get during the writing process, especially when things I never thought of suddenly appear and make the story better.
I enjoy the process of visualizing scenes and characters.
I enjoy seeing the way my characters change as a result of what happens to them within the story.
I enjoy the challenge of making my words say what I mean, and of searching for the right word to convey what I'm trying to say.
I like a good plot and do my best to develop one. I don't mind if the plot undergoes changes as I write the story.
The more my writing relates to my internal feelings and beliefs about life, the better I like it, that is, the more connected I am to my stories.
Being a writer has been a dream of mine since I was a teenager. I'm still dreaming.
How about you? Do any of these reasons jive with yours?
