Why Do You Write?

Working through my rewrite of my screenplay in the early hours of this morning got me to thinking about the reasons I began to write, and if that first motivation to create is still the same today. What exactly do I want to achieve through my writing? I also believe the motivation and reasons behind your need to write will affect how often you write and the amount of writing you produce each day. It will also have an impact on your style and genre of writing.
I first became introduced to the fact that writing was a proper job by a friend of mine who produced a film in the nineties called Fern Gully. The whole concept of actually creating a film of my own fascinated me. Not because I wanted to create a fantastic piece of literature, but because I wanted to be rich and famous. I wrote my first screenplay about boy meets girl in 90 pages of absolute romantic garbage. However, something extraordinary happened during that process. I found I actually enjoyed writing. I kept my passion a secret from everyone, and over time and multiple projects later, I was finally ready to send my first completed work to a producer at the BBC. They invited me to the headquarters to talk about the script and before I walked through the door, I had already spent the $100K advance I was going to receive. However, I didn’t get the advance because I absolutely bombed that meeting because I didn’t know how to market myself. That took a toll on my self-esteem and the confidence in my ability was at an all-time low. I lost all motivation and blamed writers' block for months. I had to change my outlook from seeing it as a hobby, to a job, and with any job, you have to turn up every morning and work.
So what motivates you to write every day? Once you have a successful writing career, what is the reason that inspires you to write and create every day, come rain or shine? Many years ago, if you wrote a successful novel then chances are the revenue would keep you in a very good lifestyle. However, today you have to produce many novels to enjoy the same luxury. Novelists such as Stephen King and Jeffrey Deaver, although they have a passion for writing, they also realise it is a business which they have to continually work at and market like any other business. The average advance for a novel in the 21st century is less than $7000 and with the rise of self-publishing sites such as Amazon, then competition is harsh. So, why do writers choose to put themselves through all of this uncertainty for such little financial gain? It is important to remember the reasons you chose a career in writing because the reasons will change over time.
For myself, I no longer write for fame and fortune or for the financial gain. My motivation comes from the great comments and messages I receive. To know that I have entertained a person and made them laugh, or think or see themselves in one of my characters is my motivation. Sometimes I achieve all three, and sometimes just one, but I am happy with that. That is the reason I write when everyone else sleeps, and that is the reason I feel writing is the best job in the world. What inspires you to continue writing when writers' block kicks in or you have received yet another rejection email?