5 Reasons Why...

Do you ever lose your vision? Sometimes you have a goal, but you forget why you're stretching yourself...even overextending yourself? Today, I feel the need to remind my heart of why I write. Maybe you can get a little inspiration from this, too.

1. I write for my own joy and edification.
I love it. I love creating characters, settings, plots, twists...all crafted into story form. Sometimes, it's frustrating. Sometimes, it's heartbreaking. But most of the time, it's amazing fun. It doesn't pay much, so the reward has to come from the writing itself. I have a small, but mighty support team--my critique group. They encourage me and help me grow stronger as a writer.

2. I write stories I'd want to read.
I love the old tales of chivalry, honor, and do-gooding. King Arthur, The Three Musketeers, Robin Hood. Daring tales of strong, valorous men and gentle, yet equally as strong women. Why can't that translate into a sci-fi setting? Well, it can. And it does. And that's the basis for my stories.

3. I write to escape.
My former career in theatre was all about escape. A dark room where a person can disappear in the audience behind colored lights and live out two hours in a totally different realm. Sounds pretty near perfect to me. Writing...and reading, for that matter...does the same thing. I can sit at my computer and explore worlds of my own creation. I can delve into the hearts and souls of my characters and live out moments of tragedy or exhilaration or fear or overwhelming happiness. (I'm sure that's a mental condition, but at least it's relatively safe, right?)

4. I write to leave a legacy.
I've done some pretty awesome things in my life. I'm willing to acknowledge that. I chalk it all up to being fortunate. It surely was nothing I did. But who in my family is going to remember what it was like to rush down the stairs to grab Brave Little Tailor Mickey after he fought Bucky the Dragon and pull him into the mill before the pyro went off? Who's going to remember telling Carrie Fisher to get her mic on for the 10th anniversary rededication ceremony of Star Tours? Who's going to remember driving through Sleeping Beauty's Castle from Main Street USA to Fantasyland in a golf cart? Sure, all those examples are from my time at Disneyland and there have been other amazing moments, but my point is that life is a blur. I want to leave behind something my kids will remember. Something important​. Something tangible. Committing the worlds of my brain to the page is one of the best ways I can think to do that.

5. ​​​I write to honor God.
This kind of goes back to point number two...and four. I've done a lot in my life on my own. I all too clearly remember years I spent without any moral compass or guidance in my life. I remember choosing to walk away from the faith because I felt like I didn't need God anymore. Now, though, I can't imagine getting through my next breath without clinging to Him. I could write junk that would sell. (I personally can't believe some of the stuff out there...and in the past, I used to read that.) I would rather honor God through my stories and have a handful of readers...or even just myself...than go that route. (To clarify...I'm not judging those who choose to write things of that nature. It's just not for me.)

There you (I) have it.​ My top reasons of why I write. Care to share yours?