Why do I write? I write for myself. I write to process this experience called 'life.' If my observations, analysis, criticism, and reflection on life helps others through their own experience, that's great. But my main goal in writing is very much a selfish endeavor.
My wife often observers that I tend to get very excited about ideas and concepts when I discover them. This perhaps is a gift because in order to 'grab' attention these days, you're excitement and enthusiasm has to be genuine.
I am genuinely excited and enthusiastic about life and the writings that serve to deepen my own understanding of what begin as little 'sparks.'
I write in snippets (or bursts). While I begin having some idea of where I want to go, more often than not, I end up somewhere else.
I write in tweets. Snippets (or bursts). While I begin having some idea of where I want to go, more often than not, I end up somewhere else. I'm going to attempt to limit each paragraph to the length of a tweet (280 characters) including the URL.
And then it hit me...
We are collectively writing as one. One feed for all humanity. Just as nobody can claim ownership to the words we speak, nobody should be able to own what is published freely. We are writing one story and we collectively own it. #one #uncopyright #freedom #write
Our maybe... everything is on lease, collectively. Your life is a lease. Everything you own is only yours as long as you are here to use it. Go to prison and most everything is taken away, at least temporarily.
Take music. Once it's played, does the musician still own it? When they play, they are offering it to whomever can hear it. Once it's recorded, they can limit access to those who have paid for the right to listen to it. Once it's heard, the listener owns it.
If you are close enough to hear it, you own it. When you buy a ticket to see a concert, you are paying for the privilege to be close enough to hear it.
Why do you write? What's the purpose of the effort and where's the value?
Intermission: As the writer, I put this aside for 24-48 hours.
I'm back.
After thinking about this question for 24+ hours, I came to the conclusion that there's really only one reason I write: For the love of it! I love writing itself. I love the work itself, and the reward is in the work of writing itself. This is why although I've been writing for years, I've never published the vast majority of it.
Because I don't love the work of publishing, I resist doing it. I'd rather do more of what I live - write!
When your writing becomes a channel for a purpose greater than yourself, you'll succeed.
Writing is the first part. Anyone can do it. Publishing is a bit harder, but with the right tools, anyone can do it. Distribution is the challenge. How do you get what your write in front of the readers?
Indeed, distribution is at the core of both sales & marketing. And nobody can sell an authors words better than the author who wrote them. But what sells books has never changed - it's word of mouth. And that's why the most successful authors write for a greater purpose.
If the words you wrote had to be published anonymously, would you still publish them? How much of what you write is for vanity? (Vanity is defined as excessive pride in, or admiration of one's own appearance or achievements).
Writers who succeed write for a greater purpose. To help, to expose, to guide, to reveal, to shine a spotlight on a mission. The definitely don't write for vanity. Self promoters are easily exposed.
What one decision matters more than any other? The decision to answer the call. To become a part of something greater than yourself. More than anything else, this is the purpose of your life. Your purpose is to fulfill your mission. Not just your life, but the millions of lives that will be improved in a significant way by answering the call. Your mission the reason for everything you pursue and do, it's the mother of all your prime objectives, it's your true north.
Flow is the best sign I know that your actions are aligned with your mission. I smile when I see people getting upset for first world problems.
What if there was a way to eliminate the publishing work, and instead publish every word I write? Good news, there is a solution and it's called PubWriter, and it's the reason why I'm so passionate that anyone who writes uses it. Pubwriter works with Twitter which allows you to share what you write to the masses, and Patreon which allows you to get paid for what you write.
There's no more hesitation to hitting the 'publish' button because what you write is literally published every time you hit 'save.'
If authenticity is what we admire most, then what we ought to have a way to post what we write, when we write it. Authentic and unedited become synonymous, just as the words we speak. The difference is the channel of the written word is virtually limitless. The words you speak are only heard by those within ear shot. But the words you write can extend to the furthest point on earth where ever a connection to your words can be made.
Write Everywhere.
Wherever you go, if you have any downtime at all, do you write? If it's 10pm and you are inspired to pick up where you left off 10 hours ago, could you?