• It’s amazing how so many of my friends have told me that they would love to write their life stories, and if they did, then it would make for a great book. After hearing some of their tales, I couldn’t agree with them more. Yet I rarely see them put their words into action. I often meet people who tell me that they wish they could write but would have every excuse under the stars as to why they haven’t started. The excuses range from the fear that they “do not know how to write” to the fact that they just don’t have the time to do so. For me the secret to writing is two simple ingredients. First of all, if you can talk then you can write. So, the best reading starts with conversational writing. I act like I’m speaking to someone in front of me and then just write it down. The other key factor and much more difficult one for me to accomplish is having the discipline. That means scheduling the time and specific amount of writing (one page, etc) I expect to accomplish on a regular basis. I schedule my writing in 30-60 minute increments generally a month in advance. I can’t say that it was easy at first having to follow this schedule but I’ve come to love it and look forward to my ‘alone time’ when I can get lost in my own little world of writing. Below are a few reasons why I write and if you’ve ever had the intention to write I hope it will rekindle that motivation in you.

    1.   Its Therapeutic – Writing always helps me express feelings and has definitely made me a better communicator. It gives me a sense of relief and a feeling that my troubles are more manageable when I put my thoughts down in writing. If I’m really upset about something it immediately relaxes me and allows me to ‘get it out.’ 

    2.  Gets Me Organized – I can sometimes spend hours if not days just ruminating about an idea I’d like to pursue or about something that is bothering me. Writing it down allows me to organize my thoughts while having the discipline of scheduled writing times puts consistency and structure  in my life, which helps me stay more focused on completing my other tasks.

    3.  Feeds Creativity – Sometimes I just have an itch to write.  My mind starts to drift off into a fantasy world and my writing allows me to live some of them out.  It’s serves as an outlet for my curiosity where I can say and do anything I want in the comfort of a safe environment.

    4.  Document History – Though I’ve lived my life and may not think anything is all that significant, it may be significant to someone else. I think about the stories my dad told me about experiencing hunger, persecution, and having been orphaned at the age of three and how my generation is generally so far removed from those experiences. If they are not document then they would be lost forever. I want him to write down his story and pass it down to his family and friends, so I decided to do the same with my less dramatic experiences.

    5.  I Can Only Get Better – English is my second language and I’ve found a way to write. I may not be the best writer in the world but I can tell you that I’m definitely getting better. Writing takes practice and constant growth (often through reading). I’m willing to do both -The more I do it the better shape I’m in. Also, writing about a certain topic forces me to research that topic and to become a ‘pseudo expert’ in that field.

    6.  Gives Me a Chance to Be Heard – Sometimes I’m in a heated debate or just can’t get all of my thoughts together to say what I really mean at a specific time. So, when I get back home and start to write, it seems to come together more clearly and I can send someone a note to express myself a lot better.

    7.   May Help Someone – I know that when I read about other people’s experiences I’m able to learn something that I can apply to my everyday life. So, this is my way of paying it forward.

    8.  Advertise– With the astronomical price of advertising these days most of the small companies can never compete. Writing and being able to put it out there for others to see is an affordable way to get your products or information seen and heard.

    9.  Sense of Accomplishment – It feels good to look back and see ideas or goals that you’ve had come to fruition. There’s a sense of relief and reward that I get from seeing an idea progress to a finished product. This reward and positive feedback encourages growth and stimulates more writing.

    10. Might Get Paid – Let’s face it, it would be nice to get rewarded financially for something that you love to do and has so many other benefits. However, it was certainly a secondary thought. Nowadays there are so many avenues of revenue through writing other than just the traditional publishing of a book. You can write a blog, start a website and get paid (through advertisers) to promote various products, or write an eBook for immediate downloading/distribution.

    When I first started writing, I was very reluctant because I thought that there were much better writers out there than myself. And…I was right. Yet should no one who can compare to Michael Jordan even bother to play basketball? I may not be the best but I still love to write. I accept the fact that there will always be someone out there who’s better than me in many aspects. But three factors keep me going. One is that I just wanted to write for the fun of it. Second, I can always improve. And finally, I realize that no one else can walk in my shoes and therefore I may be put in a situation or have a certain experience that is completely unique to me. In that case the story is the key factor and if I don’t write about how I see things from my perspective then no one else will. Our knowledge is constantly evolving and building from previous explorers, who were willing to take risks and share their experiences. Someone will hopefully develop and build upon your ideas and thoughts, to contribute to a better society. Grandiose expectations but at least writing down your ideas is a step in the right direction. So, what is your motivation?