2023 Get Started Right Writing Challenge: Day 3

Welcome to the third day of the seven-day Get Started Right Writing Challenge! If you're late to the party, you can still get caught up, but 2023 isn't slowing down.

For the third day, think about why you write. You can probably provide a quick quip about why you write. To get published. To entertain. To educate. To inspire. To make money (if you're into freelance writing). To spin your wheels (or at least that's me on some days). But take a few minutes and really think about it.

Once you have your answer, be sure to share in the comments below.

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I've spent a while thinking about the answer to this simple question, and I've decided there's not one simple answer. On one level, I write to entertain and communicate. This makes me feel more connected to other people. And as an introvert, writing gives me a way to think about (and revise) my thoughts about the world in which I live.

And that leads me to another level when it comes to writing: Writing helps me figure out myself and the world around me. When I feel low or depressed, writing gives me a way to explore my feelings and sort out my thoughts. This has been super helpful for me and my mental health over the years. I'm not sure where or who I'd be without writing to help me find myself.

I also write to make money. Writing is a significant part of my day job. And I've even made a little money over the years on side projects. Some of that has been through publishing and contests, but some of it has also come through freelance projects for small businesses. That said, money is probably lower on my list than some of my other motivations.

One huge motivation for me is to educate. I love learning and then sharing what I learn with others. In fact, I find this motivation to educate sometimes hampering my fiction and poetry, because I start trying to teach instead of entertain. Of course, both can be done in the same work of art, but it's a fine line to balance.

At the end of the day, I think the main reason I write is because it makes me feel better. Even on days when I struggle to get started or doubt myself, it just takes one good line or image or string of dialogue to feel better.

And then, I want to do it again.