Reason to write!

REASON TO WRITE!

By Chris Keys


What exactly started you writing? I'd bet most of us couldn't answer that question. I know when it first crossed my mind I couldn't think an answer that made any sense. Oh sure, I had the standard ones like, I wanted to express my inner most thoughts or what I wrote down, I wanted to entertain other people or there is the one they state in many profiles. I just wanted the money!


If I had to say, I'd say any reason is a good enough reason to write. But being a good reason isn't what writing is all about is it? It’s more of a passion thing. That is to say, you’re passionate about your reason to write.


Yeah that's the ticket. You see all of the great writers or for that matter anyone who is great at anything, is considered passionate about whatever it is they are great at. You can have tremendous skill and yet be considered as average at something. Take professional athletes. They usually end their careers by saying they weren't having any fun anymore or that they wanted to go out on top. It’s a passion thing. The truly gifted players always talk about how passionate they are to play.


The same holds true for writers. The truly gifted ones always have a passion to write. They also always know what their writing for. It's not to get money, though that does play a factor, though not much. Because if the person is truly gifted, as writer, the money just shows up. The words they write, naturally entertain the reader and they are always fresh in their approach and delivery.


A passionate writer never struggles to write something. It may not be for publication but they write. They skip TV and they don't worry if they spent the whole day writing something. It’s their passion. It is what they want to be doing. For some they become so passionate it becomes detrimental to they're everyday life. So be careful developing your passion, because you don't want to lose everything else in your life or the passion. Everything is in its place and in moderation. By being moderate you can keep your ideas fresh and exciting, while avoiding burnout and loss of passion.


For the first time in quite a while, I have a strong passion again. It is to write. As a youth, I had a strong passion for football and I might have had a chance of making it a career but I was hurt on a summer job and that passion died. I still watch but I was forced to stop playing. I've had several things that I've had a passion for but after a while they've faded or I became burned out. Things like companies I’ve founded and built, jobs I've held, running for office, making wooden fish and nic/nacs. I still like doing some of those things but I'll never achieve greatness at them unless I can rekindle the passion I had to start with.


So what makes you passionate about writing? What triggers your emotions and gets the creative juices flowing? To be passionate as a writer, you need to figure that out and encourage yourself in those areas. Then once you've figured out what makes you passionate about your writing, you will need to figure what you’re attempting to accomplish by writing and set for yourself goals. Write them down and be very specific. Like, I want to win a Pulitzer in 2012. Or I want to write a best seller by next year. Then go out and do the things that will allow you to reach these goals. It is up to you! If you plan you may very well win! If you fail to plan, there is no doubt, you will lose! You can't hit a Bullseye, without having a target to aim at!


So set your goals, aim high, believe you can achieve them, develop your passion to write and write passionately. If you tap into your passion and you can hold on to its intensity, then focus that intensity on achieving your goals, nothing can stop you from achieving what you believe!


Have a great day! Write something, even if it’s a grocery list but do it with passion! Chris Keys-