Writing is something that I have always had a passion for, but it's a passion that I have always had a hard time explaining to people. I don't just like to write. I need to write. I have dozens of journals with the pages covered in scribbles, I have spent countless hours writing and proofreading when I should have been sleeping, every thing I see gets spun into a possible plot bunny, and unless someone writes, they have a hard time understanding that drive. In the musical Hamilton, several characters ask Alexander Hamilton why he "writes like he's running out of time" and he never really gives a straight answer. I am a little behind in the world and have just now discovered Hamilton, and when I heard that line, I knew that that was the perfect way to describe it. I write like I'm running out of time. My friends that write all write like they are running out of time. We write because the words are there, filling our minds, and we have to get them out somehow. So, in order to try to capture a better explanation for why we have to write I made this list. But first, here are some common jokes about writers-

we aren't sane:

1. We write because sometimes that's the best way for us to communicate.

Sometimes talking just doesn't do it justice. Sometimes we can't find the way to make our mouths say the words that are in our brains, so we turn to our hands and a pen.

2. We write because we have something we want to share with others, but sometimes we're too shy to do it in person.

Introverts use writing to their advantage.

3. We write because it is an escape from reality.

It is a time for us to let go of stress, create our own little, happy place, and just take some time to renew ourselves. It's more than something we can do. It's a comforting hug.

4. We write because we want to make things immortal.

We understand that nothing lasts forever, so we do our best to preserve our feelings, our experiences, and our thoughts for as long as possible with the written word. All of our best memories and favorite people find a way into writing. That way, we can never forget them.

5. We write because sometimes hard things need to be talked about. We know about hard things, and we know these hard things can't be ignored. If we can't speak about them, we can write about them.

We write because we have a chance to make others see from different points of view and maybe even see life in a different light. Bad feelings exist just as much as good ones do. They're real, and sometimes what hurts has to be written about before we can understand it.

6. We write because there are pieces of us trying to get out. We write to bring out our adventurous side, our spy side, our regal side, whatever little piece of us that wants to come out. We write so that one person can live a million lives.

So maybe this enlightens the non-writers some. If you are a writer, keep on writing.

Here are your manifestos: