Why I Write

The question of why people write came up at a writer’s group recently. Most of the answers were things like creative outlet, to get the characters to stop talking, and therapeutic release. I did not answer at the time, but I thought about it. All the answers made sense and likely contribute to why I write, but really did not feel like the full answer. I kept thinking about it after the meeting. Why do I write? What started my writing? Was there anything specific which caused these behaviours?

My answer finally came to mind the next day while I was driving somewhere and mulling it all over. My writing is my escape. I would much rather going into the realms of my mind than face whatever is happening in the world around me, and I’ve been doing it for most of my life. My life has not been a bad one, or anything like that. I just have the habit of venturing off into some other place when I should be focusing on the task in front of me. This is why I read as well. It is an escape from the stress of a deadline, or a situation I don’t like. I do have to face everything when I wander back from wherever the story has taken me and deal with the problem, but until then I escape into the story.