There are times that ideas appear from nowhere but how do you know that, but do you know that an idea that strikes your fancy will strike others fancies? Ah now that is a simple question. My advice is this: if you like the subject, write it. Write it for you and if others like it, then wonderful! The craft of writing should be for us first and others second.

Sure, it is exciting when others like what we have written; it gives us a sense of pride in our craft, but is that what writing is about…pride? On the other hand, is it about telling a story, be it true or fictional? Do we write to get our name out there, or because the stories play around in our heads and won’t leave us alone?

You may be the greatest writer in the world, or barely able to string two sentences together…does it matter either way? The point of the matter, if it pleases you…write. If it gives you a sense of freedom…write. If it keeps you sane…write. It doesn’t matter if no one ever reads your stories, the stories are an outlet for your own creativity and if they happen to bring happiness to others to read, all the better.

Often people become intimidated away from writing because they do not think they could ever write a story. However, if you write for you, who cares if no one but you can understand what the story is about. Writing is a powerful form of therapy and those ideas that play around in your mind are there to try to help you through whatever is troubling you. Have you ever noticed that if you write the ideas down, they are a reflection of what you see and what you do in the world? Why not take those ideas and let them do their work by telling a story. You just might surprise yourself.

Therefore, the main reasons to write are to tell a story for therapy, even if we feel we don’t need said therapy, but more importantly…for ourselves. The worst reason to write is for the glory or money. Now think…why do you want to write? Then take those ideas that are pounding away in your mind and put them to work telling the story that they want to tell. When you finish, feel free to share it with others, try to publish it, stash it in a drawer or burn it…wait, don’t burn it, there may come a time when you may wish to read it again.

The point is, write. Write for you. Write for your own happiness. Write for your own sorrow. Write. What comes out may amaze you, embarrassment my crash the party, but the story is there, and it has served its purpose, what you do with that story once you have written it is up to you.

However, if you don’t write, because you are afraid you are not good enough or that others won’t like it…those are not good enough reasons. If you are afraid to pick up that pen or turn on that computer, then you may never discover if you have the aptitude to write. Besides, like I said, if you do write and decide you don’t have the aptitude to write, who says anyone else ever has to see the paper. Put it away where you know no one will ever view it for the day that you want to look at it again.

Go for it. I dare you. Pick up that pen. Turn on that computer. Let the mistress of writing take you over and let her pour the words onto the paper. There is nothing stopping you if you put your mind to it. Go for it!