Why Do I Write?

I was trying to come up with something interesting to write this week. There are times I actually find it more difficult to write my Wednesday life posts than my flash fiction story. I follow (stalk) a lot of my favorite authors on Twitter and read their blogs and I am always amazed at the insightful and/or entertaining posts they have. I started this blog back in 2009 and I remember telling my family that I had it. Then they started telling me that they read it. I was a little nervous about it but since they are my family they should already know most of this (although my mother was surprised to learn I cheated on my personality test). After close to two and a half years I still avoid telling people I have a blog. I haven't decided if it is because I am worried that people will hate it, or if I just don't think I will compare to what else is out there. I write a blog because it is a good exercise for me. It makes me think about my life.

I want to be an author. I have wanted to be an author for years. I have been writing stories for quite a long time yet I have learned I am afraid. I have completed over 7 novels (4 of which have been revised at least once) and have 3 partially done. I have over one hundred short stories. Yet it takes my husband giving me deadlines to actually submit anything. I am not afraid of rejection. I actually have kept all of my rejection letters from publishers and agents alike. I have learned that I write for myself. I spent quite a bit of time alone when I was in elementary and to entertain myself I would make up stories to enact. Most of the time they were based on a book or movie. Even when I got older I kept these stories going. I write because I enjoy it. I have a blog because I actually enjoy forcing myself to think about my life and what has been going on. Why do I write? Because I am a writer at heart with a story to tell, even if the only audience is myself.