That's Write

"I thought authors had to be orphans, or have a drug problem, or be out having lots of sex – and none of those things were me! Once I realized that the only difference between everyone else and writers is that they write, I felt I had cracked it."

This quotation is by Diane Setterfield. She wrote The Thirteenth Tale, a novel I just read for my book club at the library. I recommend it, by the way!

Anyway, this quotation makes me think about why I write.

Most days, I don’t feel like I have anything much to say. Pretty insignificant topics, ranging from squirrels to hair products to chocolate to library books.

Why do I write? I’ve never been the kind of writer who feels like she needs to. I’ve always been kind of jealous of those people who simply have to write their thoughts down. Those people who’ve kept journals since they were 9 years old. And are always writing poetry. Just because.

Sorry, that’s not how I roll.

Maybe I write because I just like something to do. I know, sorry. That’s not very earth-shattering. I like to write consistently. To be disciplined. To write even just a paragraph every day.

Also, I like to make people happy through my writing. To make them laugh. To give them something to think about. My writing is for reading.

Writing also helps me think through issues or topics or whatevers that are running through my mind. Sometimes, through writing, I realize something about myself that I hadn’t previously acknowledged or understood.

“The only difference between everyone else and writers is that they write.”

I’m a writer, for better or for worse!