Why do I write?

I think a lot of writers will get asked this questions at least one time in their career. One of the most popular answers is, "Well I had a story to tell." This is essentially true. Every writer has a story to tell. Whether it be fictional, factual, historical, auto-biographical, (that's a word right?) or any of the other numerous "als" out there, every word written in essence tells a story.

To me writing is so much more than a story. Words can move like nothing else can. They bring on tears, happy and sad, make you laugh when nothing else can, move people to action, bring them to their knees. Words can be uplifting, heart wrenching, exciting, captivating. Words can build nations or destroy them. They can make you love, they can make you hate, change minds and win hearts. Whether spoken in a shout or barely in a whisper, words effect us all.

Books are simply a natural extension of words. They bring alive new worlds, world you wish desperately were real. Make heroes and villains that never existed, attach you to people that were never here. Make you see through someone else's eyes, feel through someones else's heart (ok I may have stolen that from a Disney movie, but it's true nonetheless). 

This is why I write. I want to create characters that people will always remember. I want my readers to root desperately for the victory of my hero, vehemently wish for the defeat of my villain. I want people to laugh out loud, feel their guts clench in suspense. I want them to cry on cue, and leap up with joy. To create a story that will resonate with people. 

For me that is what it is all about, that is why I write.