My Motivation for Writing can Change from One Day to the Next

It’s a scary thing, but it keeps me on my toes.

Writing has always been a huge part of who I am. I almost wish I had kept a copy of every document, article, story, poem, eBook, blog post or grocery list I have ever written — just to gaze in wonder at the huge pile of scribble that has flowed from my brain over the decades since my childhood.

If you ask me why I write, I guess some of the typical motivations will come to the forefront:

I am happiest as a writer when I don’t take the time to read what other writers have to say on the craft.

Oh, I know how important it is to read and interact with the ideas out there in the world. I do so on a regular basis.

It’s just that — it messes with my brain to deal with the contradictory advice being spewed by both the wise and the clueless — often at the same time.

Should I write purely for the mental therapy it gives me? Should I write to share my ideas with the world? Should I write to earn a living wage? Should I simply write in any haphazard fashion that suits me on any given day?

Related posts:

I sit at the small cafe at the corner of my block, drinking my coffee. I have a fresh newspaper at my side. I like to have a fresh newspaper with me everywhere I go. Just for the look of it. I like…

As the first female product manager at Google Fiber, Nancy Wang is no stranger to the trials attached to being a woman in the tech industry. In an interview with FastCompany, she recalled one…

We have all seen the new Instagram feature called Reels, if you haven’t make sure to update your Instagram app to get the latest feature before you keep scrolling. It was no shock when this feature…