Why I Write

Writing. Before, when I heard that word I was filled with instant anxiety. My mind immediately turned to school papers and the suffocating weight of being assigned to write about topics that I cared little to nothing about. That was before. Now, I realize that the process of writing, though difficult at first, can be liberating, character-building and even enjoyable.

I write for many purposes outside of just completing an assignment. I write to make to-do lists and keep myself organized. I write because it is therapeutic. I write when I don’t know what to write. I write until I know what to write about. I write to understand why I write. I write to communicate with those I love through email and text messages. I write to entertain my future self. I write to learn how to change behavior in the present or even the future. When I have hard times or feel down on myself, I go back and read my journal and realize that I really am a worthwhile person. I see how the Spirit has been able to touch me and at times speak through me as I have turned to my Heavenly Father and recorded my thoughts, feelings and impressions.

Writing is emotional. It is a form of art. Sometimes it is abstract and sometimes it is very precise and refined but it is always beautiful because a human being with divine heritage created it. We admire the works of Picasso just as much as those of Michelangelo. Writing takes time. There is beauty in writing a draft, letting it sit for a day or two and then going back to it and fine-tuning it. The writing process is similar to the process a woodworker goes through to make a beautiful piece of furniture.

Over the summer, I did some work on a wood lathe. I started with a big block of wood and used a sharp tool to whittle it down little by little. As I worked, the jagged edges gradually disappeared and eventually I got the block down to the small, beautiful shape that I desired. At that point I was able to sand and polish. As I began the process, there were huge shavings that came off and at times my tool would even catch on the wood. Removing the excess was difficult. As I kept going, I got into a rhythm. The more I shaved off, the easier it became to shape the wood and make it beautiful.

So it is with writing. At first, it often seems that the words just aren’t flowing out. I feel trapped and find myself in the all-too-common predicament of “writer’s block.” It seems the dam will never burst, but little by little, the thoughts start trickling out until the dam breaks and a flood of ideas come. Once this occurs, the challenge becomes directing and organizing these thoughts into a coherent piece of writing that impacts the reader in the intended way.

I am always refreshed each time I make a new draft and see my piece of writing go from an ugly scrap of wood to a beautiful, hand-crafted masterpiece. Frequently, multiple drafts are required. Writing takes practice. The growth doesn’t come easily and without struggle, effort and pain, but it does come. I am a much better writer than I was when I was in first grade not just because I have gotten older, but because I have written a lot since then. I have practiced. I have been up through the night many times writing to finish assignments. Sometimes it is during the darkest hours of the night when the must illuminating writing occurs. I have flashes of creativity. When I am able to ride these waves of brilliance, my writing becomes great.

            I don’t always write in an artistic way. Sometimes I write solely to inform. If I simply want to help people understand a story or events that occurred, I use simple, straightforward writing. Beauty and clarity are often found in simplicity.

           

            No matter what the purpose is behind my writing, I strive to remember that writing is a process and that good writing takes work. Though there is often a struggle and some pain associated with good writing, it is always worth the beauty that I and others see in the final product. As I write, I hope to inspire and excite. There is no such thing as perfect writing, but good writing penetrates the heart and soul. As I write, I grow and others grow with me. Writing is living.