As a writer, have you ever wondered about the origin of writing and why it became so important?

Writing was invented in Mesopotamia, today’s Iraq, 3400 BC or some 5,500 years ago. Shortly after, writing systems appeared in Egypt and China. In 900 BC, writing appeared in the micro-Americas…as a part of Mayan culture. Experts agree that these systems of writing were independently developed. 

So, what was the driving force that led to this form of communication? After much reasoning, many have argued that writing is the expression of an artist’s heart. An artist who needs to connect with a world larger than just themselves and share what they otherwise could not.

To that end, we have distilled ten reasons why writers write:

1. They write to release the burden they may feel being artists…thoughts and feelings spilled onto a blank page provides catharsis and becomes a source of grounding for the artist. It becomes their 'psychiatrist' and their writing is a way of overcoming life’s tosses and turns.

2. They feel they have something to say that will be beneficial to an audience larger than their immediate circles. They want to have an impact and leave a legacy.

3. They feel their life experiences of ‘living out loud’ may be of interest to those less prone to the experiential life many artists find themselves living and could be a vicarious pleasure for their readers.

4. They want to educate, inform, and persuade.

5. They want to tell the truth by exposing a lie or conspiracy.

6. They are born craftsman…given this gift of communication, they must create.

7. They can escape into a world they create. Writing becomes a form of sanctuary from their busy lives.

8.  They want to make a living.

9.  They want to become an influencer.

10. Many artists are introverts and their writing that goes beyond borders keeps them connected to a larger world through their readers.

So, step back…and examine the reasons why you write.