This morning I began to write something about what compels me to write – it turned into something of an essay I was going to put it on my blog- now I am thinking it might suit a journal somewhere so giving it some thought .

The essay became a study of writing from the intellect and the heart, combined with knowledge of education and knowledge of life, and a bit of a reflection on what I would tell my daughter as she grows ever more interested in becoming a creative in her life but worries about making a living from it.

Somehow  my initial thoughts for the essay also covered the intellect in the ivory tower and intellect that builds community and the writers who write for a living and those who write because it helps them live more deeply. 

All this from a conversation with my hubby and my daughter’s English teacher.

As I wrote lots of memories, both empowering, and humiliating came back, from my experience of writing, and writing groups.

Instead I decided for this blog I would share a few beginnings of topic sentences and then these became epigrams.

I realise now I have  many stories to share about the process and reason for writing.

When someone shares a piece of writing
there is often a glimmering of the state of their soul in there

Writers aren’t all heroes and admirable people
but they can be

writing crosses disciplines joined to it by the bridge of imagination
and mixes senses to make the intangible tangible

writing can be for bread and shelter
or nourishment and release

some seek fame and fortune
others sanity and freedom

those who write as if on a pilgrim’s quest
bring together intellect and heart
form and motive

those who write to entertain
are not neccesarily less

and behind every tv show that truly impresses
are writers who create something else actors breathe life into

writing compels me to dig into life
and mine social and physical sensation

it says dig deeper, search deeper
try to find new ways to say it

ultimately writing teaches me
some things are almost impossible to say with words

yet trying to do so
is a way forward

 

What compels you to write?

(c) June Perkins