Why Write?
Last week I heard an interview with a fellow NZ author on National Radio (our main public radio broadcaster) in which she was asked, “Why do you write.”
Her reply was indepth, thoughtful, and inspiring, but listening, I thought: “Well, why do I write?”
The answer was really simple: “I write because I want to tell great stories.”
Why write?
Which made me think, “So what’s a great story then?”
Probably there will be as many definitions as there are people, but for me a great story is one that:
i) makes readers feel the way I do when I listen to Mozart, or any other great piece of music;
ii) in some way manages to capture what NZ poet, Glenn Colquhoun, has called the ache of being alive and being human; and that
iii) entertains, taking readers out of themselves for the time they are reading it.
Anyway, if you’re a writer and would like to add a comment on why you write; or whatever your background, would like to share what makes a story great for you, then I would love to hear from you in the comments. 🙂
And otherwise, enjoy the week.
Hi Helen, I like your answer. My reason for reading is the other side of that, I want to read great stories. I want a writer to grab hold of my mind and take it to another place, time, dimension or whatever. Even non-fiction should draw me into the world of the subject instead of being merely information. I guess reading is mostly about escapism for me as much as inspiration or learning. I’m yet to experience a visual medium that can envelop me in the story like the written word can.
Hi Les, That is a great vote of confidence for the written word. I think that of all the entertainment media it offers the most scope for the reader (as opposed to viewer) input into the story, ie how we as readers see the places and the characters, which is unique to each individual. I love the AS Byatt quote that captures a sense of this: “Think of this – that the writer wrote alone, and the reader read alone, and they were alone with each other.”