Why Write?

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I’m in a couple of writing groups and the admin in one of them recently posed the following question to its members:

Why write?

With such a staggering number of books out there — there are more than 130,000,000 books in existence — why is your book important? Only a small percentage of writers have ever made a living at writing (and most of those were people who wrote books on how to make a living at writing), and that percentage seems to be shrinking. More than 80% of books sell less than 100 copies. Maybe 50% sell only about ten or so. So, why write? [And] why take the time to learn the craft if some of the books that do sell are poorly written tripe?

I’m not sure if those statistics are accurate, but I’ve read similar figures (e.g., according to Heather Maclean, of the 500,000 books that are released every year, both published and self-published, only 10% will sell more than 500 copies). What a bummer, right?

So asking why a person bothers to write is a valid question, considering the amount of work it takes to write a book. Many of the answers from members were simply because writing was their passion and they couldn’t imagine living their lives not writing.

If your main reason for writing a book is to make money, you’re probably in for a big disappointment. To put it into perspective, you can work less hours and make more money as a fry cook in a fast food restaurant than as a writer. That’s not to say writers can’t make good money, obviously there are those who do (and some do very well), but it’s definitely not the norm.

It’s sad, but true and sometimes it’s a hard pill to swallow.

Especially because writing isn’t easy. It takes a lot of time, dedication, perseverance and sacrifice. Writers have to make time to write on top of all the other demands in their busy lives. If you’re not passionate about writing, you’ll have a difficult time finishing your book (that’s why so many people who start writing a book never complete it). Something needs to get you back in that chair and generating all those words on a daily basis.

So, if the monetary return on investment is so low, why write?

Because it fills the soul to create. It’s the same reason a painter paints, a sculptor sculpts, a dancer dances. Making something from nothing is one of the most satisfying things you can do.


Because it helps you grow. Writing consistently not only helps develop your craft, but it also makes you more sensitive and aware of your surroundings and feelings. These insights trickle into your writing. You can learn more about yourself as your characters reveal themselves to you. It’s really a self-discovering journey. Some would say, it’s therapeutic.


Because it allows you to connect. Whether my story is good or not is ultimately in the eye of the beholder. Some will love it, others will hate it. But if I can create a story, take someone to a different place and it resonates with them, then I’ve made a connection. And, isn’t that what life is all about, to make human connections? Sometimes, that’s all the validation you need.

So, I’ll keep writing, if for no other reasons than to create, grow and hopefully connect.

What about you? Why do you write? Leave a comment, I’d love to hear from you!