Why do we write?
Certainly not because it’s easy. The only people who think writing is easy haven’t written much—or at all. No, most of us write either because we have something we need to say or because we have ideas we want to explore. And for some, it’s all about self-discovery through writing.
I like Hunter S. Thompson’s take on writing, which he shared in a letter that was subsequently published in a collection titled The Proud Highway: Saga of a Desperate Southern Gentleman:
I find that by putting things in writing I can understand them and see them a little more objectively … For words are merely tools and if you use the right ones you can actually put even your life in order, if you don’t lie to yourself and use the wrong words.
That thought is part of what prompted life coach Carol Delmonico and me to create The Write Balance program, where we use writing as a tool for self discovery. (Watch for our book coming soon.)
The other motivation for the program was the fact that through writing we can bypass our conscious minds and directly tap into our subconscious. Have you ever looked at a journal entry and wondered, “Where did that come from?” or thought, “I had no idea that’s how I really felt”? If you haven’t, I would recommend that you consult my blog post about sloppy writing and then write yourself a truly sloppy letter. You might be surprised at what comes out.
Let me know what happens, okay?
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