Why Do You Write?

by Ruthanne on 01/26/2012

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I write because of this man.

Recognize him? That would be J. R. R. Tolkien.

I still have this memorized:

“In a hole in the ground, there lived a hobbit. Not a nasty, dirty, wet hole, filled with the ends of worms and an ozzy smell. Nor yet a dry, bare, sandy hole with nothing in it to sit down on or to eat. It was a Hobbit hole, and that means comfort.”

I probably messed up some of the punctuation, but still. My geek card is intact.

So what inspires you?

For me, it’s heroism and sacrifice. True love that beats death, beauty and nobility going hand in hand. I love characters who do not give up, who hold to what’s right even if it hurts them. I love stories with what housemate Celine calls an “epic” scale – the events involved affect more than their immediate surroundings.

In other words, what’s done matters. 

I want to share the thrill.

I want to give other people the same this-world-lessening, hope-inducing, angst-creating, powerful stuff-matters thrill that I have when I read.

Even if all you want to do is tell a story, there’s something you want others to know as they read it. How life feels, pain, or thinking harder and deeper than we normally do. What it means to love and hurt, or lose love and fight, or go through moral crises when no way is clear.

What do you write about? What do you write for?

Why do you write?

Tell me in the comments.

  • Linda Grimes

    I write because I like to make people laugh. The world needs more laughter. :)

    • http://ruthannereid.com/ Ruthanne Reid

      (Sorry for delay in replying! Health issues are a real time drain.)  That is a fantastic reason! I couldn’t agree more. Laughter is essential, and the older I get, the more I believe it’s a cure for so much pain.

  • http://twitter.com/JoeDuncko Joe Duncko

    I actually wrote a post on why I write at http://joeduncko.com/2011/06/04/my-goal-as-a-writer-to-make-you-fall-in-love/ . Essentially, I want to make my readers fall in love with my worlds, my characters, and my concepts. I want to give them the feeling of escaping and dealing with reality through fantastical means. I want to give my readers a gateway to create their own worlds, as well as keep my worlds and characters living within them. I want to affect their lives for the better. That’s why I write.

    • http://ruthannereid.com/ Ruthanne Reid

      (Sorry for delay in replying! Health issues are a real time drain.)  I love that response! You’ve really hit it on the head, and your drive absolutely sings to me. Thanks so much for this comment! I really hope you’re able to accomplish this.

  • http://www.incometriggers.net/ Atul Tayade

    Would it be wrong if I say  I want to write because I want to make money??

    Well I want to help others in the process.

    • http://ruthannereid.com/ Ruthanne Reid

      (Sorry for delay in replying! Health issues are a real time drain.) Not at all! It just really seems like making money isn’t a guarantee… whereas being able to help other people is. Hopefully, you can do both!

  • Guest

    Well from some random person on the internet I gotto hand it to you; that’s a worthy reason for writing. I agree with you. The books that inspire you, that have real meaning,  that relate to your soul are getting rarer and rarer these days. As I’m already familiar with your earlier work, I will definitely try to get my hands on your upcoming book. I know it will be worth the price. ;)

    • http://ruthannereid.com/ Ruthanne Reid

      Hi there! Thanks so much for your comment. :D It really makes me happy to see a kindred reading soul. And wow, thanks for the support! I really hope you enjoy The Sundered. :D

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