Why do you write?

I write so readers can tell me, "I laughed, I cried, I loved, I hated. I could not walk away from your words unmoved."

And I write for myself. It's a way for me to be/do more. I utilize my talents, learn something new every day, and challenge myself. I have never not written, but now I write for personal satisfaction.

I was scared of the dark, so when I was little, six or seven, I made up stories in my head to get myself to sleep (I still do this every single night), and one day I started writing them down. Then, suddenly, I began having strong opinions on things I was reading--whether or not I liked the sentence structure and if it was a style I'd like for myself. I went through a huge pretentious thing in high school, sure my writing was the work of a teenage prodigy. And then once I hit college I was severely humbled. Severely. It hurt, but I'm glad I don't walk around thinking I'm the greatest author of my time anymore. It's that fear of never becoming published that encourages me to reach out for help and to become better and to pay that much more attention to what I'm writing. I try to write the types of quiet, introverted stories I like to read, so I do think there are people out there who would enjoy my stories, and even more people who find them pointless.

The truth is, if every literary writer STOPPED WRITING from now until the end of time, there are so many books out there that the world would not know what it was missing, and thus would not care. Once you read a book, that's when you're glad you've found it. Unless it sucked...

Shorter answer: I have no idea why I write, but I think it's something my mind was pre-destined to discover, whether or not I had been scared of the dark. Even if I'm never published, there's nothing I can do about my inability to stay in reality for more than brief and undesirable intervals. ^_~

Whether i'm any good or not is debateable, all i know is that when i write, it takes me away from the less than exciting world that i live in.
When i'm writing it's as if i'm living in my own imagination and i enjoy that.

I write because there's an itch I can only scratch by writing. It makes me feel restless and grumpy if I'm not writing, even if what comes out isn't all that good.

So, yeah. I write because it makes me feel good to do it. Sorta like sex. Sometimes risky, often messy, and when it doesn't go well- frustrating. But when it does...oh boy. Nothing quite like it. Oh...and practice makes perfect with both, I think.

I write because I am a generalist, I am not really good at anything specific (except writing). It would take me several lifetimes to actually live as the characters I write about. I get to live and create worlds for other people to temporarily duck into in 9 months to a year (the time I take to write a novel when I am not researching). The situations and people I write about are usually also in jeopardy and experiencing uncomfortable things that I would not want to live through. I really would not want to experience being tied up in an underground sewer, but I would write about it. Not only can I live as many different people in various situations, but so can my reader. (Well, publishing is a goal) It is a win-win situation.

I write because I'm a compulsive talker, and people tell me to shut-up and throw things at me. Also I love to write it gives my tongue a rest and makes my brain work.

I have an annoying little monster in my head named, Molly. She won't leave me alone and takes over my entire life. My family are seriously beginning to think that I've gone completely mad. She is now trying to take over my whole personality. Heheh LOL. (I've got news for them! She's here to stay.)

Boredom. That led to an introspective "what if" session. The "what if" session morphed into a manuscript. And another, and another, and another...

There are different reasons why people write, depending on the purpose. Some write in order to express their feelings while others write because it's their passion. Their day would not be complete if they didn't write anything.
For me the main reason why people write is to create their own character and name to be known world

Because writing is better than thinking about the hollow emptiness of my life..
Nah, I dunno. I guess to get some of the mess out of my head. I find it easier to think if people arent constantly walking around in there talking about some new plot point.

It's part of the education program I'm in at prison. If I write one more essay, I'll get my GED.

KIDDING.

I write because I am, quite literally. I've done it since I can remember, and it comes completely organically to me. I couldn't stop for long even if I wanted to.

My husband said once that writers of fiction aren't writing fiction. He said perhaps it is only a future, that our DNA is aware of, prompting us to place fingers on keys until the truth is out there! Well, whether or not my DNA is pushing me, it should have its ass on the pc seeking publishers too. Or am I asking DNA to do too much? Hmm. Now I have to write this shiit out a bit.
RA

I call dibs on this one. lol

I write because I have a MASSIVE god complex

I also write because I like making people laugh and its as close to stand up comedy as I'm ever gonna get.

I write because writing is a part of who I am.

I cannot convey my thoughts unless they are written, and, if I am to write them, I see no reason why I should leave my thoughts as just thoughts. It is far too easy to do that. I strive to do things the hard way, so I take my thoughts and attempt to turn them into a work of fiction.

My writing started with a love of reading. As an only child, I spent a lot of time alone and reading was my constant companion. As an adult, I still keep a book with me most of the time; one never knows when they will be stuck in the doctor's office or somewhere having to wait a while.

In social settings, I am a very quiet person. I have this fear of interupting someone else while they are talking, and being thought of as rude. The internet has allowed me to express my opinions in a way I never could otherwise.

Similarly, writing is an outlet for all of the things I've experienced in life. Although much of what I write is fiction, I gather my experiences and pull down what I need from time to time in a story. I enjoy putting a good story together.

A rather lofty goal I have is to one day make a decent part time income from my writing. We move quite a bit, and a writing career, even a modest one, keeps me from having 24 jobs on a resume.

So, those are just some of the many reasons that I write.

I write to please myself and my audience.

What I like about the acronym in the original post (WOLFs) is how it goes out of its way to draw attention to its subversion of the conventional plural, "wolves". Now that's literary.

We all have our answers to "Why do you write?" as diverse as the answers offered by writers who work in any genre or non-genre. But maybe it's worthwhile to narrow that down further: if you identify your work as being of a "literary" bent - if you like the idea of being a WOLF, even if you are too modest to call yourself that openly - "Why do you write literary fiction?"

What motivates us to write for the kind of audiences that read the nebulous thing called literary fiction (whatever it is)?

Maybe, like all writers, one does it because one believes that this kind of story is worth reading.

Its a matter of have to.

I have to write.

Like breathing.

Life is so much easier that way...

Because writing is a way to vent my creativity.

Because I like playing around with words.

Because I want to touch people's minds, hearts, and this is the only way I know how to do it.

Because it feels right, it's natural. It's me.

Because I love that warm, stisfied feeling I get every time I write something other people like - or even just something I write for me, and I'm happy with.

removed

I identify with the "WOLF," acronyn! I began to write to vent. It is my belief that by writing whatever disturbs me on to paper or in my journal, I release myself and close the book on it when I'm ready. Writing has served as a major form of "healing" for me and I have been able to pass this information on to others, which helped them. I have started writing fiction, but writing non-fiction has restored my spirit and enabled me to help others restore their spirits. Thanks for allowing me to share!

Strictly speaking, I'm not in either category, but I find the question easier to answer than the much more pertinent question of what will happen next in the scene I'm working on.

My original purpose...to attract a bookworm for a spouse :: goal met

Current purpose: justify her faith in my ability. She'll probably keep me writing for the rest of my life.

And, oh, how I love when the words come together. But I don't know if I could keep on if I were the only one to love it.

Publication will impress her. Plus, I won't have to go back to freelancing.

I write because I suck at telling people stories - gotta write them down first.

I write because I love books, get utterly lost in characters, and I'm fascinated by the process of dissecting that magic and building that kind of world for others. I never thought I was a fiction writer until just last year, but now I'm realizing that was because I didn't really know what I was doing and was more confident in my ability to describe than to invent... now I'm loving the terrifying power of building a story from scratch that feels real. I think writing is fun but also a great deal of hard work-- yet I truly believe that if I keep working at this, I can become good enough to become a WOPEL-- Writer of Published and Enjoyable Literature (I love that acronym!)