The Need to Write, the Need to Read

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Knowing what makes your audience ‘tick’ is only part of the strategy. You need to seriously consider why it is you feel compelled to write. Your answer to this could be a predictor of your future success. Realistically, unless you’re a globally celebrated writer like the late Clancy or the exciting Grisham, writing isn’t exactly a money-spinning endeavor, most especially if you are just starting a career in writing. In fact, Grisham financed the publication of his early novels because no publishing company wanted to gamble with his literary style. Still, there are a lot of writers out there who continue to churn out fantastic and thrilling stories even though there is no guarantee that they will profit from the act. So, what motivates writers to continuously create great stories?



There is a truckload of motivating factors that drive people to pick up the pen (or tap on the keyboard) and write. There are those who have the instinctive craving to write. Some are unable to perform normal work like most people and so they turn to writing to while away the time and potentially earn a living. There are a lot of people who have been compelled to write because they want to share the great things that they have seen and read. Others are urged by their emotions (anger, sadness, happiness) and writing becomes their outlet of expression.
There are however, other reasons why people want to write.



• Strangely enough, there are those who write because they want to learn more. They want to discover new things, things that they did not know before they wrote about them. Writing requires research in order to write intelligently, a writer needs to study his or her subject. There are writers who go to great lengths in their research much like how some actors embrace a new character, they live the life of their intended subject.

• Writing helps people think more coherently. It is an avenue of expressing one’s self logically and in a more lucid fashion compared to plain talking. You get to think first before you speak, and if you do not like what you wrote, you can rephrase or start all over again – something that you would not be able to do with spontaneous conversations.

• Some people write because they feel that it is the only thing they are good at. It keeps them busy and helps them stay out of trouble.

• There are people who write because it is what keeps them sane, when used as a release for stress filled lives. Writing can also be used to battle depression or loneliness. It provides a unique kind of pleasure, the kind that you get from other activities that you do alone like painting or flying a kite.

• A lot of people find writing to be fun and relish the feeling of accomplishment when an assignment is completed.



Being honest with yourself in regards to why you are writing, and what it is you want to accomplish, (and in what genre) is a key component to the writing process and writing as a profession. Take the time to reflect and understand your motivation.