What motivates you to write?

Hey, guys. I'm new to Library Thing, but love the interaction between everybody. It still amazes me how close books can bring people. That was one of the things which drove me to finish a WIP I'd been toying with for years and after publishing it at the start of this year, it got to 16th (!!!!) in its category on Amazon.

I'm curious to see what motivates other people to write. Is it the prospect of maybe one day being awarded for your hard work? Tackling a difficult subject? Or just finishing a book to say you didn't abandon it. Let me know; I'd really love to hear from you.

Being a retired person I just write as a pass time. And so, I write books mainly for families and friends, and of course all others!
They are at online bookstores, perhaps, everywhere. My urge to write is very regular; so each day I will write a poem, or a blog that I post to somewhere. Should fame turns up, that would be a glorious blessing from God, Himself. And yes I would be very grateful, yet seeing as books are so plentiful, it's like hoping against hope into the sea of books! Nonetheless, let's write and encourage each other! Who knows ...

My motivation is the idea that somewhere, someday something I write will make a difference. I've read books that have altered the course of my life, and I hope someday to deliver a book that does the same for others. I do have one book published, and the feedback I've received has been awesome. One guy told me it did change the course of his day after reading it, so that was cool. Ultimately to me that's what it's all about. Where can I inspire, where can I make a difference, where can the words I write open up a world of possibilities for somebody else? The thoughts excite me.

Music!!!!! I mean it says it my username. The way the lyrics sound makes me think of different characters and scenes in a book or tv show.

Well, I used to write. What motivates me now is time. If I get some, and there are no distractions, I might actually do it again.
I've been running a writing group for the past five-and-a-half years now. We meet twice a week, and the Saturday meetings have a regular schedule of four different formats. Monday nights is always for critique, as is one of the Saturday meetings. Besides that, I'm a book editor, so I've constantly got at least seven people's stories in my head all the time. And that's mostly why I don't write. My own voice doesn't come out.

But, I'm good with that. I never had a burning desire to be published. I wrote because I enjoyed the creative process. Well, it turns out, because I have a reading problem -- not dyslexia, but I have to read one letter at a time to build the word, then the sentence, etc., in my head -- I notice all incorrect instances of GPS (grammar, spelling, punctuation) all the time! I rarely miss one; plus I become acutely aware of plot flaws, magically appearing props, and rule breaking. At critique meetings, I always go last, and will quickly mention issues that others have found, and spend most of my time addressing what everyone else missed. I get more satisfaction out of helping others get published than most of the things I've written myself.

I can't imagine writing three dozen novels, or complete that many short stories, even. In fact, I've got over a hundred short stories and/or pieces of memoir in various stages of draft, but only one that comes close to being something I'd consider submitting, and it still needs some work. The original stream-of-conscious version is here on LibraryThing in a Green Dragon thread that dates back to 2007, I think. Regardless, my point is: Whereas it's not in me to produce original work anymore, my name is already in the Acknowledgement front matter of over three dozen published-in-paper books.

>5 WholeHouseLibrary:, I can imagine settling into this perspective rather comfortably after another ten or dozen years or so, I'm just not quite there yet. I haven't the ambition for publication either, but I'm still feeling that need to feed the creative process you're talking about. Critique groups are fantastic, good for you that you keep yours humming.

Often I am reminded just why I continue to write. It’s certainly not the money. Any writer that starts writing to get rich is most often disappointed. No, most writers write because it’s impossible NOT to write. The stories build up in your head and the developed characters come alive and won’t let you rest until you write down what they are telling you. Other times fans I have never met, except through my books, e-mails to tell me they enjoyed the story or, my favorite, “I loved your book/s.” One fan told me, "I was spellbound with the first page of 'Genesis Logs' and couldn’t put it down." He even asked for a sequel and said, “Please”. To me this is what writing is all about: to hopefully give enjoyment in your writing and touch someone’s emotions, or take them where they have never been before. It’s very rewarding to me. BTW that fan got his sequel.

I'm actually really shy around new people, so being in the spotlight or the center of attention sounds horrific to me, but with writing I don't have to be the focus. Readers can focus on my words rather than me.
Also I have this dream to one day write a novel that will be remembered even once I no longer walk this great earth. To be remembered after death because of my writing sounds like an amazing feat to me. Another one of my dreams is to write a story so amazing that even non-bookworms pick it up and read it. Stephenie meyer is one of my biggest inspirations. I know alot of people think Twilight is bad because of the movies, but the books were really well written, and I can still remember the day after the first movie came out. Everyone all around me, bookworms and non-bookworms, young and old, even male and female had the Twilight books in their hands. I'd love to accomplish that, so that's why I write (plus I just love creating something out of only 26 letters).

#8
I have an aversion to public speaking. I'm also shy and don't like to be the focus of attention. That's why I write. I love being able to weave words together. I once made the three finalist list in a major book awards. They would call the three finalist of each category to the stage then announce the winner and hand them the microphone. I remember thinking, "OMG I hope I don't win!" I did win and took the microphone and gave my impression of Porky Pig. I wished I could have written them a thank you note instead.

I write because it helps me mentally. I love to create worlds, people, and events.

For me it is like an oxygen,which I need to inhale daily with every breath

I have always been a creative person and feel lost when I am not creating something. At a young age, I loved to tell stories. I would make my own book covers for the handwritten stories I produced. Nothing ever developed past a couple of chapters.

Now, as an adult, there is a personal satisfaction I get from writing. It is as if I have reconnected with a part of myself I neglected all the years before. I was focused on getting my education and then raising my six boys. I didn't have time to write. Once I opened that door again, it was as though all that creativity I had held back for years came flooding through. I have to tell myself that I can only work on one piece at a time. I have a backlog of stories in a spreadsheet just waiting to be explored.

My motivation now is that if I don't take the time to create, I'm crankier. If mom ain't happy...

If I have a day when I don't feel like writing, a little music for the scene I'm working on helps to get the writer's block removed. I also think about how far I've come. I did publish a novel when before the prospect seemed so far off. Now, I want to see if I can beat the time it took for me to get through all the writing stages of my first book. I've shaved off a year so far. :)

I have a lot of stories in my head, and I'm not any good at talking, so writing's the best way to get them into a form that others can experience them for themselves, if I don't write then the urge to write just builds up until I just have to write, I'm trying to push myself now to write outside of my comfort zones, by creating new characters and situations, developing new ways to tell stories too.

Just joined myself last week, I believe.

I don't know what motivates me to write, to be honest.
I have stories I want to write and I know the only way people will read them is if I get them down on "paper" - so I got to do that. ahahah

Hi, My name is David Russell and for 20 years I was a medical transcriptionist and wrote what doctors dictated. My motivation to write for some of the reasons shared here by others.
It's easier to express myself in writing;
I have something important to convey through fiction;
it's an enjoyable yet challenging activity, and yes, I hope it will be read by my grandchildren.

Also, giving and receiving critiques is motivation.
David Russell

What motivates me to write? Blank pages are an abomination. If they don't contain a scribble or something meaningful written on them to excite my imagination, I can't leave them alone. Nature isn't the only thing to abhor a vacuum.

The stories themselves motivate me. I want them to be told.

And I find writing so fun I probably don't need a whole lot of motivation, to be honest.

Copy-editing, now. That takes a bunch. I mostly get through it on a strong dose of crafter-pride. I don't want to put sloppy work out there, darn it!