When people ask me why I write, I feel like it's a very loaded question that I can never answer simply. When people ask me why I want to write as a career ("Can you even earn any money from that?") I can never tell them in short form why I choose the path less traveled (or promising of money). It's a hard thing to convey with words. So I am going to lay out why I'm a writer by writing. This might not even be the whole answer but it's a good one in comparison to what I say out loud at family gatherings and parties to people I just met.

1. I walked out of my first "Harry Potter" movie in a trance. It was the best thing I had ever seen in my young life.

I was 7 years old when I walked out of the movie theater for "Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone" with my grandma. It sounds cheesy that moment was very poignant for me. I was blown away by the movie, the magic, the characters, and everything it made me feel as a viewer. I walked out thinking that was the best movie I ever saw in my life. At 7 years old, that's not too much of a stretch. This moment was important because it led to the next important thing.

2. I read my first "Harry Potter" book and I was captured by its magic.

When I found out that there were books for that amazing movie I just saw, I dove right into reading all the "Harry Potter" books I could. At the time, there were only four. I built blanket forts and read under a lamp, away from the rest of the world, and I hallucinated about wizards and dragons as my eyes raced across pages of printed paper. I was engrossed and enraptured by how into the story I was. I was put under a spell, I didn't want to tear my eyes away, I wanted to know what happened next, I felt emotions rise within me. That's the magic of reading that changed my world. I fantasized that maybe, one day, I could do the same thing. Write a book.

3. I wrote my first story in first grade (even drew my own pictures) and it was my favorite thing that I ever made.

"Rebecca and Her Big Adventure." That was the title of my first picture book I ever wrote/drew. It was about a young girl, who saw a comet fly across the sky, in the middle of the day, and land on top of a mountain. She packed her bags and was determined to find whatever magical, mystical, and mysterious thing crashed on earth. With the help of some friends she finds along the way, she finds the comet and gets three wishes granted. She wishes for money, so her parents don't have to go to work anymore, that her allergies would go away so she could finally have a dog, and endless ice cream for her and her friends. I read it and re-read it to my parents too many times, proud that I made a story entirely on my own.

4. I think the hardest job in the world is being a great writer.

Anyone can be a good writer... but it's very very hard to be a great writer. To have enough talent, wit, wisdom and skill to be paid for your writing and have it be shared with the world is a great feat. I don't want to be a writer because I think it's easy money. Quite the contrary, it's a terrifying career choice. Because there are a lot of writers out there and standing out is a tough thing to do. I think people who make a name for themselves by writing are one of the smartest and most empathetic people in the world. It would be an honor for me to be known for what I write.

5. There's no higher compliment someone can give me than saying they love my writing.

You can call me a nice person, a pretty person, a smart person, and while I'll be flattered, it won't make my heart flutter and it won't make me smile as wide as when you say I'm a great writer. It brings me joy when someone compliments my writing.

6. I create, and am in, my own world.

In life, there are a lot of things that you can't control: what people think of you, paying taxes, where you live, etc. There a lot of things I get frustrated with because there's nothing I can do about them. But when I write, I control everything.

7. It lets me be honest with myself.

Sometimes, when I write, things just come out, and I learn things about myself that I wouldn't have figure out if I just kept everything bottled inside. It's like meditating out loud.

8. It is therapeutic.

Write and release. Those are the magic words I live by. In my journals that I hand write, it's no holds barred. I say exactly what I'm feeling with no fear of judgement from any prying eyes. When I write about things on my mind, I walk away feeling relaxed and feeling like I gained some insight.

9. It nurtures my creativity.

Writing is an art and I push myself to create something a little different each time. It's something I can always improve on.

10. It's a part of myself I can share with others.

There's always a piece of myself in my writing. The way I use my words reflects my thoughts, desires, values and personality. I put my heart in it, and when people like what I write, they like something about me that's very internal and personal.

11. Other people share my writing and it makes me absolutely ecstatic.

Right now, people sharing my Odyssey articles is awesome. Every share means something to me and people seeing my stuff is only going to continue from here.

12. If I got paid to do it, then I know work wouldn't be just work.

I would be doing my passion for money. I would go above and beyond every day to make sure that I was doing a great job. It wouldn't be about the money, it would be about doing what I love. Who wouldn't want to live their life that way?

13. I'm fascinated with people.

I write things in hopes that people connect what I write. I love learning about human behavior and how the mind and body work on an individual and group level. The more I learn about people, the more my writing skill improves, and the more people connect with what I write.

14. I want to make people laugh and cry, but most of all, think.

If I can encourage people to read something interesting, something that emotionally involves them, and have them walk away with a little bit more knowledge, then I'm helping make the world be a little smarter. Hopefully I'll be smarter by then too.

15. It's my skill that will help me make the world a better place.

I have some thoughts on life and a vehicle for my thoughts is my writing. I want to encourage people to be kinder and more understanding towards each other. My writing will be the way I do that and it'll be my way of leaving this earth better than how I found it.