In a post on DIY MFA, Grace Bialecki says remembering why you write can help you keep going, even when the going gets rough. “When I think back, all the questions about my work, I’ve never been asked why I write,” she says. “And this is the one question that would help us writers keep writing.”
For many of us, we can’t not write. Expressing ourselves and our creativity is important for our mental health. Bialecki suggests some other reasons, such as finding quiet time and tranquility, exploring other eras, or creating the books you want to read. To answer this question for yourself, write down the first few responses that come to mind. What motivated you to write this morning?
Bialecki also suggests we have a “why” for specific projects. “Frankly, my why for my first book was more of a why not,” she writes. “I wanted to see how far I could go on the winding path to publication and what I’d learn along the way. But these experiments weren’t going to convince an editor to take on my project.” Another way to approach this question is to figure out for whom you’re writing and why they should care.
Even if you want to self-publish and don’t have a particular audience in mind, you should still find a why, Bialeck says. “Having a sense of purpose will help you finish any given project,” she notes. “If you’re self-publishing a novel, maybe your why is to be able to have a book you wrote on your shelf. Or to be able to gift your friends and family copies of your work. Your why could simply be to create something you’re proud of.” So ask yourself: why am I working on this particular project?
But why does this matter? Having a higher calling – a why – keeps you going over time. Bialecki suggests that you keep asking “why” until you reach your ultimate goal. “For example, one of my goals is to write at the library five days a week,” she says. “Why? Because I like the library vibes and because I’m more productive. Why do I want to be a productive writer? Because I want to finish my second novel. Why? Because I want to empower women like my protagonist to pursue their artistic dreams. Why? So I can keep writing books and helping people? Why? Because that’s The Dream.”
Your dream is your ultimate concern. It’s what provides you the passion and perseverance to reach your long-term goals, even when your progress is only one step at a time. When you think about your writing, keep asking why until you reach your ultimate concern, the goal that you care about most. “This is your why that you care so much about, it informs all of your writing, as well as the way you organize your life to make that writing happen,” Bialecki says.
