Why Write: What Motivates Writers
Why write? What motivates writers to put together all those words. Why not choose an easier more profitable profession? Every writer has been asked about their desire to write. Maybe someone has said, “What do you like about writing?” And if the question hasn’t been asked of you in some form, you’re likely not writing enough. But most of all, writers ask of themselves, “Why do I write?”
What Keeps Writers Writing
George Orwell in his essay, Why I Write, has given some thought to the question. He surmises the motivation behind a writer’s dedication to the written word comes down to four key factors.
1. Sheer egoism
Our desire to show our unique voice to the world and most of all have people like and remember us, as they sing our praises when we receive our rewards. According to Orwell, serious writers are self-centered but less interested in money than journalists. Ha, ha. This may have been true in 1946, but I’d say journalist are far more self-centered these days.
2. Aesthetic enthusiasm
This item refers to a writer’s love of words. The desire and effort to make things sound just right. The way a writer focuses on style, structure or diction all impact the written word. Writers care about how the written words sounds, how it looks on the page and so much more. It all matters.
3. Historical impulse
Refers to the “Desire to see things as they are, to find out true facts and store them up for the use of posterity.” I’m not in this group at all.
4. Political purpose
Orwell defines political as a means to alter people’s ideas of society. I’d add philosophical purpose to this item. Every writer has some kind of philosophy and whether conscious or not, it works its way into the words we write and the stories we tell.
I want to add a fifth reason to why writers write.
5. The love of great stories.
Maybe this is embedded in sheer egoism but I don’t think so because by that logic so are items two through four. I believe die-hard writers love telling great stories. Is it possible to tell a great story without the other four items? Probably not. In order to write compelling stories, we must pay attention to aesthetics, tune into the historical impulse and evaluate political and philosophical ideas. But even before all that is the desire to tell the story in the first place. Writing is addictive.
I do write for all of these reasons. I’d like to exempt myself from item one but that too would be sheer egoism.
