Finding Your Writing Why

Find something that you’re passionate about: use that passion and write about it.

I was watching the new Gilmore Girls episodes and laughing, sobbing and crying with every part. It was all so beautiful and I’m dying for more. Can we start another petition to get more seasons, please? I mean there’s still so much more to talk about here, how about those last four words, hey? Don’t worry I’m not going to spoil it for anyone, that would be unfair and I did my hardest to not look at any spoilers until I’d watched all four episodes and then I went crazy.

I felt like I was watching Rory in my life. She’d had her crowning moment and then she was thrust out of the world, learning and having to adapt but more so having “failed” in her terms. She came back home, no surprises there because there’s no Gilmore Girls without Rory at home.

But the thing that stood out the most for me and probably had the most impact on me was when Jess entered the scene, he has always been the one that pushed Rory to do better because she was always the one who would pull her out of her bullshit and he did.

Which lead me to where I am right now. I bet you’re asking how this gets to where I’m talking how to find your writing why?

Well it’s all really simple, here’s a non-spoilery except from Gilmore Girls: Spring.

Jess: You need to find something to write that you’re passionate about.

Rory: What is that foreign concept you speak about? S that a real thing?

Jess: You gotta just find that think that makes you feel so your readers feel. What makes you feel?

This sums up everything so perfect.

I harp on and on about my clients finding their writing why, but really, I’m asking them to find what they love writing about and use that.

For me writing is therapeutic. I write for me because I want to know how a story ends, bonus points if it means that it lines up with current publishers and the publishing trend, but if not, that’s okay.

This is your permission to forget about everything out there and write for you.

Ask yourself these questions:

1. What lights you?
2. What does it make you feel?
3. How does it you feel?
4. How does writing make you feel?
5. What does it make you feel?

Then leave it for a few days. Come back to the questions and answer them out again. Now fish out your first answers and compare them.

Do they look the same? Or are they completely different? What did you like about both answers and what do you dislike?

How does it all make you feel?

Finding your writing why is deeply personal and it’s not something that anyone else can do for you, better yet, no one has the same brain as you and same reactions. So start off by writing for you, writing to find out what scares you and what brings you joy.

If it’s non-fiction memoir things, that’s totally fine too, if it’s deep fantasy or Young Adult paranormal romances, do it, there’s no one stopping you.

No one but you.

So answer the questions, get down and dirty with them and find out exactly what they make you feel and find your writing why. I’ve made a neat little downloadable file for you to go crazy on. Print it out, scribble in it or write it all on the computer, it’s totally up to you.

If you know your writing why, leave me a comment and we can chat over it.