Why Do You Write?

Okay, so, I figured it'd been a while since I tried to do a deep post. (Heck, I haven't done any this year). So why not now?

The question occurred to me a few months ago and then got sort of shoved into my messy brain-closet (as all of my ideas eventually do), but then I was reminded of it when my Algebra teacher set up a discussion asking What do you want to do in your future?

What career do you want? Why do you want it? What are you going to do to get there?

I'd been thinking about careers, actually, even though I'm just a freshman in high school. (I saw my sister panicking about picking a degree last minute and had a moment of horror thinking that could be me in the future(sorry, sis)). Plus, I'm a natural-born worrier. To cut down the worry, I make lists. I make plans.

So, anyways, back to the topic-- while I was thinking about what career I wanted to go into (I was making a mental list that went something like: teaching, engineering, computer science...(I didn't think about writing right off because I had always planned to have a degree for a job that would support me while I worked towards making it big in writing)) it hit me that I didn't really know anything about those things. I hadn't worked towards those careers. I didn't know anything about the communities or what you had to do to get there. I couldn't answer some of his questions because I didn't know.

But then I thought, "Okay, I'm going to stop approaching this so logically and just roll with it" and put in creative writing as my answer to what career/job I wanted. And then I knew every answer.

I've wanted to be an author for as long as I can remember. (Before that, I think I just wanted ice cream.)

I have worked hard to get better at writing. I've pushed myself out of my comfort zone multiple times and each time I've gotten a little more confident, a little more determined.

But why do I love it so much?

Do I love the feeling of accomplishment when I finish writing a first draft?
The thrill of a new idea?

Well, yeah. Both of those things, and so much more. More than I could fit into this blog post. But I suppose what it really comes down to is that hidden in the characters, the worlds, the rush of adventure, I find myself.

I don't know. Maybe it doesn't make sense. (Let's face it, not a whole lot I say makes sense). But I know that writing is something I can always count on to make me feel better. It's one of the only things I do because I really, really want to. It's inspiring. It's empowering.

Why do you write?