Why I Write Fiction

1. It makes me happy.
2. It gives me something positive to think about—those rich, imaginary worlds.
3. It’s fun.
4. It sparks my creativity.
5. It connects me to others who enjoy the creative process.
6. It sharpens my awareness of the world around me, so I can better describe people, places, and situations.
7. It deepens my understanding of the dynamics that shape our lives—something I explore through my characters and their choices.
8. It strengthens my language skills as I constantly strive to express myself more clearly.
9. It sparks curiosity; I’m always seeking realistic complications to make my stories more compelling.
10. It pushes me to learn new things—research adds richness to stories beyond what I already know.
11. It helps me clarify my own perception of the world and the people in it.
12. It motivates me to read, because the more I read, the more I learn how to write.
13. It gives me purpose: to celebrate the power of story in our lives.
14. It challenges me to face my own fears through the problems my characters confront.
15. It forces me to reckon with the fear of not being a “successful” writer.
16. It helps me redefine success, and remember that writing is, at its heart, a path of personal growth. (A bonus if it sells!)
17. It pushes me to show up and do something I truly love.
18. It nourishes me—for that very reason.
19. I feel proud when I’m actively working on a novel.
20. I feel honored to stand among generations of writers who’ve faced the same blank page—and kept writing anyway.