Why do I want to write?
I'm starting this blog in an attempt to get myself to start writing regularly again. Its a way to get me in the practice of writing every day once more, and a means of building up my "mental muscles" which seem to have horribly atrophied over the past few years. But, before I really can begin to write regularly, before I can make a determined decision to be a writer, the question I have to answer for myself is the one of why I even wish to write.I've many times thought that I wanted to write because I have so many lessons to share with the world. A wise man I once knew was once confronted by someone with the statement, "You think you're always right!" A common enough confontation, to which he responded, "Of course I think I'm always right. If I didn't, I wouldn't think that way." This in a nutshell expresses why I've always thought I wanted to write. I realize, of course, that no one - and most especially myself - can be right all the time. But, in order to improve the quality of life for everyone on this planet, people need to at least see the viewpoints of others, and determine if the way another sees the world can enrich their own experience.
So, I thought, writing was a sort of public service. The entire world would be enriched by what I had to tell them. Even if they didn't agree with what I had to say, they could at least see the world from someone else's eyes for a short time, and come away with an understanding of something outside of themselves. I was doing the entire world a fucking favor by putting words on a page for you, and you'd damn well better appreciate it.
This became quite a burden over time, though I didn't realize it as it was happening. In order to educate the world I had to have both a prose that everyone had to be enraptured with as well as ideas so creative and incandesent that people would be drawn to my work even against their will. It had to be so wonderful that no one could possibly live a full life if my writing wasn't included as a part of it. I was so naive to assume that I could accomplish this.
So, I gave up. I didn't give up on the ideas - I always wanted to write - but, I gave up on the actual doing of it. I could never live up to the expectations I'd put on myself. There was no one who could. Even my joy of reading diminished as I started putting these standards on others, as well, and they just weren't living up to it.
This period of time where I wasn't doing much creative was the cause of the mental atrophy I mentioned above. Looking at this period now, for I am still immersed in it, though I am trying to start breaking out of it, I see that it was not entirely a bad thing for me. I've learned to appreciate the simple. I've learned that not only does something not have to be convoluted and symbolic in order to have some significant meaning, but often times (if not all of the time) it is the straightforward and simplistic messages that accomplish the most.
After all, how could I possibly get the entire human race to give up on greed and hatred when a vast majority of them can't even learn to differentiate between an email address and website? Or program a coffee maker?
So, my reasons to want to write really have not changed that much. I still want to entertain and teach people. But, I am no longer so arrogant to think that all people will immediately want to latch on to my words as if they were a life sustaining force. I am also no longer intent on grappling with big ideas and grandiose themes. The cliche "Keep it Simple Stupid" has, in a way, become my new motto.
I want to write, because I find that there is little else I really want to do for a career. I want to write because I enjoy art of all forms, and want to be a part of it. I want to write to remind people of simple lessons they probably already know, but need to be reminded of from time to time. And, I want to write to hopefully make someone's day a bit better from time to time.
If I can accomplish these things, then my life will be greatly enrichened. If someone else's is, as well, then all the better.
posted by Shaun @ 7:17 PM
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