I was asked why do I write, why do I find it necessary to share my writing, with whom do I share it, what do I enjoy about writing, and what don’t I like about it? Phew. There’s a mouthful. Okay, here we go:
I don’t write. I procrastinate. Oh wait, this isn’t the time for confessions. Let’s try again. I write because I can process the huge amount of chatter going through my brain. I write because I love creating lives and plots and new places. I write because when I’m hurting, it brings release. I write because I’m passionate about something and I want to share that passion with others. I write because God gave me a desire to create poetry, novels, articles and essays. I write because I can’t help myself.
I don’t find it necessary to share all of my writing. Some of it is between God and me. The rest of it I share because I want people to know they aren’t alone in their struggles or to share information to help people. I feel God has given me a gift that I need to hone and master and then use to minister to people, to touch their lives, to give them hope and most of all to point them to the One who is Lord of my life (I keep trying to be lord of my life, but I’m trying to allow God to keep that title).
I have blogs and the writing on them is for anyone who stumbles onto them. I hope they can relate or be bolstered up somehow. My poetry is more personal and I hope to get some of my poems published, but I do struggle with feelings of vulnerability. Novels and stories are for people to have a great read (I hope), but also to identify with a character and maybe learn something about themselves along the way. I hope to weave a subtle message of hope throughout my fiction. The novel I’m writing now deals with overcoming grief. Essays and articles are to teach, encourage and motivate. I like a wide variety of writing types as you can tell and hope to share most of it with others.
What do I enjoy about writing? I love giving my mind something to focus on and to give voice to my thoughts. I love creating new and exciting people, places, and settings. I love exploring the depths of people’s emotions and vulnerabilities and watching them fight against their weaknesses and find new strength. I love sharing information and I love encouraging and ministering to people.
What don’t I like? Fear. Procrastination. Distraction. The same things that I think help me to be a good writer, also hold me back. I fear my writing might not be funny or good. The many streams of thought rushing through my head each day can distract me, overwhelm me and then I procrastinate. I have a hard time focusing sometimes. So I guess I hate some of the struggle, but then, isn’t the struggle what it’s really about? How can I grow stronger if I don’t have anything to overcome?
Ahhhh – something to ponder.