When I came across this question, I wanted to give a beautiful, flourishing answer. I wanted to tell a story, relate a memory of sudden epiphany or serenity. I thought there must be some abstract, profound reason for why I write, but as a searched my mind no such reason came to mind.
I quickly have come to the realization the majority of the writing that I’ve ever done has been in an academic setting. School is where I learned to spell my name. In a way, my identity in terms of the way I write is interwoven into a school environment. Even now, as I type these words, I’m doing this as an assignment for a class. My writing method was crafted by a couple dozen teachers, the prompts given to me on a schedule with a purpose. There is so little, sadly, that I’ve written solely for myself.
This makes my perception of writing seem pessimistic, so let me make something clear. I love to write. I enjoy the process of working through a piece until it’s as close to perfect as possible. Trying to convey the cascade of ideas streaming through my mind when I’m writing can be equally sensational and tedious. Also, the fact that most of the writing I’ve done has been for school does not diminish the satisfaction I can get from doing it.
I’d also like to address the feeling of ‘flow’, brought up on OnCourse. Here’s an article on it if you’re interested. When I’m deeply focused on an assignment, especially when I’m interested in the topic, I’ve experienced this feeling. It’s like having tunnel vision and extended peripheral vision at the same time. You’re aware of everything around you, yet focused intently on one specific task. It’s difficult to have this happen with every piece you write, but it’s nice when it happens.
I guess I haven’t really answered the question. I write because I like doing it, because I think I’m pretty good at it. I write because it engages my mind like nothing else. It gives me the ability to create universes, the time to formulate my arguments and to sound my best with every letter I put on the page. Writing is splendid and aggravating, and I hope to continue to cultivate the skill both in school and in my personal life.
Patrick Salisbury 