Today I was prompted at a booth in the union to share why I write. I wrote a short answer because I didn’t have time to think about it critically, but my two hour drive to Manhattan today gave me a great opportunity to think about why I actually write. Of course, I write to get my degree. I’ve written 10 two page papers this semester alone. I began writing a long time ago so I could finish assignments in class, but I didn’t start writing for myself until my sophomore year of high school. I couldn’t tell you what changed that year, but I can remember some painfully angsty poetry that came from me during that year of my life.
I started writing and I guess I never stopped. I found that I could use words to form more than just sentences. I began to use my words to create feelings and images. I wrote down how I felt that day to organize my thoughts into a singular piece. When I wrote poetry or short stories or rants in general, I could give my emotions a shape and a direction. I was using them to create something new rather than just letting them continue to simmer and stew. Writing became a lifeline for me when I felt like I couldn’t talk to anyone else about what was going on inside of me.
Now I write because I realize that I have experience that I can share and love to send out into the world. I used to write things that I couldn’t say to anyone else, but now I write so I can share what I have learned with as many people as possible. I have been through some tough problems and I have met extraordinary people on my journey to find who I am. If I can share my story and give even one person hope for a beautiful future beyond their struggles, I have succeeded. If I can help even one person understand how incredible this world is, I have succeeded. If I can express my viewpoint on an issue and help even one person understand another side of an argument, I have succeeded.
I have no dreams of becoming a great author. I don’t plan on writing award-winning poetry. I write because I want to express feelings that are bigger than I am. I write because I have so much to say and I want to capture those things and save them in a safe place. You, my dear reader, have so many incredible things to say and I want to hear all of them. I want to know your earth shattering revelations and your smallest turn of phrase. Never stop writing. Never stop putting your beautiful words out into the world. You may feel like your words don’t mean anything because they are too small or not eloquent enough, but I promise that there is someone out there who needs to hear what you’re saying. Libba Bray put it best when she said, “Write like it matters and it will.” Just keep writing. Never stop writing.
