November 4 question – Albert Camus once said, “The purpose of a writer is to keep civilization from destroying itself.” Flannery O’Conner said, “I write to discover what I know.” Authors across time and distance have had many reasons to write. Why do you write what you write?
The awesome co-hosts for the November 4 posting of the IWSG are Jemi Fraser, Kim Lajevardi, L.G Keltner, Tyrean Martinson, and Rachna Chhabria!
I don’t believe I’ll ever keep civilization from destroying itself with my writing. Saving the world is way beyond my paygrade. That won’t stop me from writing.
So, why do I write? I hope to distract my readers for a short time. Give them something to else to think about. Maybe give them a giggle or make them say “aha!”
Besides, I have all these characters in my head that want to get out. The only way to do that is write their stories. Take Tasha in Wolves’ Knight, for example. That was a book I didn’t plan. Tasha came to me while I was writing a different book, and said: “Here’s my story!” I acknowledged her, and tried to get back to my project. But she wouldn’t let me, and Wolves Knight (originally called Tasha’s Tale) got moved to the front of the list.
And take the book I’ve recently started. I don’t know if it will ever get past first draft, but the main character started talking to me after six years of being a secondary character in a series. I’m writing it from my anti-hero’s point-of-view, and he’s turning out to be more of a villain than I’d planned. I’m not fighting him about it, either. I think he’s got a hero complex and he’s hiding it from me. We’ll see.
So, maybe my writing as as much about entertaining me as it is entertaining the readers. I can live with that.
Don’t forget to check out what other insecure writers are writing about by following the links below.
And, until next time, stay safe!
I don’t think my writing will save civilization either, and I’m glad no one is expecting it to do that. So much pressure! Entertaining people is a wonderful reason to write! I can also relate to characters barging up to you and demanding you tell their story. I’ve been there.
I think entertainment is a good reason to write, and it can save the sanity of civilization, possibly.
Happy writing in November!
Oh, and I can’t seem to ever get my Word press page finished, so I am still over here:
https://tyreanswritingspot.blogspot.com/
I write because the stories don’t give me a choice. They keep plaguing me until it feels like my head will explode if I don’t start…which is probably why I have half a dozen beginnings with half that of endings and no darn middles!
I’m a very linear writer. I have to start at the beginning and work my way through to the end. No bouncing around.
I read somewhere that when a writer cries or laughs while writing, so will the reader when the story is complete. Your sheer enjoyment of writing comes through clearly. Maybe that reality of characters talking to us (even when we don’t want them to), is an occupational hazard! Have a good month.
I look at it like this: if I can’t entertain myself who can I entertain? So far so good on my front anyway. hehehe
Anna from elements of emaginette