Why We Write

The Introduction

You’re not going to get a straight answer to this question.

Every writer writes for their own reasons, each of which is valid.

University of Nottingham’s article says, “The primary reason for writing anything is to communicate with others. It is to stimulate interest or action from the reader.”

I guess this is true. We reach out to others in our writing. We share our own thoughts and dreams. We are inspired by our imagination. Ultimately, we hope they will enjoy what we have delivered them.

This is also where the problem can lie in our perpetual fear of being rejected.

According to 20 Acclaimed Authors and Meredith Maran

Meredith Maran had published a book. The title is Why We Write: 20 Acclaimed Authors on How and Why They Do What They Do. She collected testimonies from multiple authors on this subject. One particular quote by Mary Karr, author of The Liar’s Club, reveals, “I write to dream. I write to connect with other human beings. I write to record. I write to clarify. I write to visit the dead.”

Indeed, we write for many reasons that cannot be bumped into a single category.

Why we write cannot be bumped into a single category, no matter how you look at it.

George Orwell

In his essay Why I Write, George Orwell didn’t simply give an answer to this question. He chose to analyze the human nature behind these reasons.

Egoism takes first place, “to be remembered after death,” as he tells us. “Aesthetic enthusiasm” is a perception of beauty in the external world. It is also found in words and their right arrangement. His third and second reasons involve history and politics.

It is probably an excellent summary of human nature. It comes from the great mind of the man who wrote Animal Farm and 1984, among his other great works.

His four points open the conversation towards human nature as a whole.

Are we so vain that we simply want to write to be remembered? Or do we suffer from a desire for aesthetic beauty in our writing?

It can’t be that simple.

He warns us to consider how our times can influence our writing. This influence is well evident in the books mentioned above. I can’t say I have desired to write a historical book. I have not considered any genre set in a period other than the one we live in.

Having said that, I don’t necessarily want to write about our time anyway. It’s more of a pocket of a universe within our universe where impossible things can occur. This is probably why the genre of science fiction fantasy speaks to me so much.

I don’t want to explore human nature in my stories but give it a supernatural twist.

Life is hard enough, but if we introduce outward challenges into it, the problems can multiply.

Suddenly, being a teenager isn’t hard enough. A whole alien world depends on the choices you made or will make. High School grades become smaller when a war booms in your name. You only want to pass your science exam or write that essay.

I could sit here and tell you I don’t want to write a political story. However, a significant chunk of the Just One series involves the political climate of an alien galaxy. Our aliens, having grown up on Earth, can only truly understand it through the sphere of their human lives.

The political climate of Hadin and its surrounding planets is, in many ways, out of date.

An attempt is being made to modernise the worlds and end the war of Kings and Queens. One has to wonder if the change is being pushed too fast. Are the results what we desired?

Why I write

The reasons for this have changed many times over the decades. Yet somehow, they always come down to one straightforward reason. Stories in my head are stories I need to write. I couldn’t imagine a life where I didn’t write down my stories. Perhaps I would forget them someday. I might think of them as distant memories I couldn’t quite recall.

Instead, I chose to document them. In doing so, I grew a universe that was intended to be rather small in the beginning. As always, this shows that I am a 60/40 pantser vs a plotter. The story grows, and the characters develop as I write them.

Another reason I write is because I have a story I want to read.

There have been stories in the past that inspired me with elements of the book series I want to write. However, Just One is unique in its entirety.

I often talk about the Roswell universe’s inspiration in this book series. I don’t usually share that the inspiration comes from Jupiter Ascending, real monarchies, Charmed, Turkish history and others. There are a lot of aspects which shaped Just One into the story it is today.

It is true what Stephen King says. I have mentioned the quote before. “If you don’t have the time to read, you don’t have the time (or the tools) to write.”

I have built a universe that is my own. This was done by reading other books and stories. I also did this by watching movies and television shows. There is no point pretending this isn’t true; writers draw inspiration from other stories. Obviously, it’s not to plagiarise but to give credit where credit is due.

Yet another reason I write is that it’s in me and has to come out.

Stories inside my head leave traces if they’re not written. When I take the time to develop them, they grow and become unexpected. This relates to the fear Meredith Maran touched upon as well.

Fear that Writers Have

We are not fearless creatures. We do not release our work into the void, assuming we will be loved for it. The fear of rejection is inept in many of us.

I have abandoned projects in my life because of this fear. It’s the fear that someone will read my story and hate it, that I will be rejected by the reader.

My Development as a Writer

A significant milestone in this direction came from my roleplayer role, primarily in the Star Wars universe. This is a different writing style from the one I’m in now. Yet, it was crucial in overcoming those fears. Roleplaying means developing individual characters and writing with other writers to create stories. We write our stories one post at a time, and other writers respond to our part of the story. Together, we build adventures.

This form of live writing allows for feedback from others. Roleplaying helped me see that I’m not a bad writer and can create stories others like.

It took me a long time to get to where I am. It wasn’t just about letting go enough to create these stories. It was also about reaching the understanding that I got to where I got. I realized the people I write with like what I have to bring. Over the years, I have kept up with the same writers. We developed family members and lovers and built whole families together, and it was all an important part of my journey.

Character Development

A big part of that roleplaying journey helped me develop another essential skill. This skill helps me navigate through the sea of characters in Just One.

Roleplay is a form of writing where you develop characters. You figure out what group they belong to. You create a backstory before starting to write with others. You select the stories you want to tell by understanding that character’s personality. You keep building their biography.

This experience was crucial for the growth of my Just One characters. I was able to rebuild them from scratch. I understood the basic foundation of why I created them for the fan fiction, which gave them a depth that makes them stand out. Much like I did during my roleplaying, I allowed them to grow as I wrote the chapters. I further understood what motivates them.

Sometimes, this understanding is easy and quick. Other times, I have to spend time with them at a particular moment. I help them realize where they’re going.

Development of Just One

So, where am I now?

The first book of the Just One series is currently with my beta readers. Realistically, it has been there for a long time. I do understand that my beta readers have their own lives and work. It is a slow process. This is why I built a document with questions to help guide their remarks about the book.

At the same time, Just One: Edge of Never has gone through a good few drafts. It is in a good place. It’s ready to move on to beta readers. I don’t want to burden them with two stories. Rather, let them focus on the one.

Just One: Weight of the World is an early draft. It will be cut into two books and a short story added to it. Compared to the others, this book has been on the back burner the longest. It’s not helped that I also began plotting for the Just One: Conspiracy story. I have been developing characters and outlining chapters since then.

The Point

The bottom line is we writers write for different reasons.

George Orwell may have summed it up nicely, but we’re also individuals with our hopes, dreams, thoughts, inspirations, and lives that have led us to this point…

I write because I have a story to tell. Nobody has written this story for me to read. I’m working through that fear of rejection. I want to see it end.

All this will come, but another matter to address is that actions mean more than words.

It’s the perseverance, strength, and courage to continue and see it through. Whether you’re writing your first book or your tenth, keep going. If you’ve struggled through those same thoughts I have, remember to keep pushing through.

Keep writing. Keep creating. We’ll get through this together and apart.

Let’s create magic.

What About You?

Before we conclude this section, I must ask your thoughts.

What inspires you to write?

What are your motivations for telling your story?

I’d love to write a sequel to this blog post, and I need your help to do this.

Where are you at in your own journey?

What has kept you back, if anything?

Do you agree with the four points of George Orwell’s study of human nature?

What inspired you to begin writing your story?

The Wrap Up

As always, I hope you enjoyed the read. Tune in again next week for the next rendition of Inspiration Monday. This will be the only written blog section covering all previously existing topics. I would greatly appreciate likes and follows, especially on this blog post.

Next week, I will dedicate this blog section to the cover reveal of Just One. This has been a long time coming.

And don’t forget to keep up with my Instagram, Facebook and Twitter!

Until next time…

~ Love, L.V.