On Writing

The Anglo-Irish songwriter and novelist, Samuel Lover, once said, "when once the itch of literature comes over a man, nothing can cure it but the scratching of a pen." For as long as I can remember, this notion has held true for my life. I learned to read at a very young age, when I was three, and from that point on the possibilities were endless; my love for books was deeply and forever entrenched in my blood. Soon after, the need to tell my own stories consumed me. It built up pressure inside me, far past the red line of tolerable parameters, so much so that it was like I would explode, and the only release valve for my state was writing. Looking back, it was obvious that this was the path I was destined to follow. Being a writer, specifically a freelance writer, is not necessarily a stable occupation as most writers must take on other jobs in order to support themselves. But I did not choose this career for the money. I chose to become a writer because of my love for telling stories, true, but also because I wanted to leave an indelible mark on the world, and because through writing, I can connect with people in ways not possible through any other medium.

Admittedly, writing is not necessarily a lucrative profession unless you happen to be lucky enough to be Stephen King or J.K. Rowling. The hours tend to be lousy because, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics, writers are "paid per assignment; therefore, they work any number of hours necessary to meet a deadline. As a result, writers must be willing to work evenings, nights, or weekends to produce a piece acceptable to an editor or client by the deadline ("Authors" 2). Additionally, the median salary of a freelance writer is $53,070 per year ("Authors" 2). Although it is not required, those who wish to write tend to earn degrees in English, journalism, or mass communications. This more realistic portrait of the writer is a far cry from the romantic idea of writers going to work in their pajamas and earning money hand over fist.

But I love to write because I am the god of my own universe. Like Athena, the goddess of the arts and crafts, I hang the tapestry of a story on my loom and carefully weave it together with my shuttle and picking stick until I have created a masterpiece for all to admire. With my creative power, I plunge deep into my daydreams, return with grand adventures and sorrowful tales, and thrust them onto paper for all to see. People in my stories live and die at my command. I am the master of Fate. In a world that oftentimes feels so out of control, it is a comfort to know that at least in my little corner of creation, I am not helpless.

For me, writing also is the only way I can leave an indelible mark on the world. I want my life to mean something, and I want to effect change somehow. I think of Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe, know that it inadvertently started the Civil War because it raised awareness to the cruelty of slavery, and hope that someday, I can write something so important. People have a deep-seated need to be remembered by future generations. Perhaps this is due to a fear that beyond this life, there is nothing. I know that for me, this is true. But beyond my own selfish fears, I want my life to mean something. And if I can positively affect the world, why wouldn't I? Writing is the only way I know to leave my mark. I will never be a captain of industry, rocket scientist, or politician. But perhaps, through my writing, I can do something special in service to the greater good of the world.

But perhaps I am doing a greater good. Writing allows me to connect with people in a way not possible through the spoken word, art, or even music. It has led me to teach young people everything it has to offer. My written words show the inexperienced writer, or the student with a strong aversion to the craft, the power they have inside of them through their own creative voice. The joy I feel when I pick up a pen is transmitted to them, and hopefully my enthusiasm rubs off on them. I have always said that writing is the most important subject to learn because it gives a voice to all the others, so therefore I chose to become a writer to teach others how to find that voice. This, I feel, is the most important reason I am a writer.

Though it is not the romantic profession many people assume it is, writing is a deeply rewarding trade to pursue if, like me, the itch for it is in your blood. I love it because it allows me to play God from time to time in a chaotic world spinning out of control. But additionally, because it allows me to connect with people by teaching them how to do it, it is the means by which I leave my mark on the world. So, to paraphrase the English playwright Somerset Maugham, I do not write because I want to. I write because I have to.