The Why Behind Your Writing
Greeting and Salutations Scribblers!
Today we’re going to start tackling a piece of the writing process that doesn’t always get a ton of attention. And it's the “why” behind our writing. What drives us to create characters, worlds, and plot lines and type them all out? There isn’t one answer to this and it will probably change as you move through your writing journey.
The questions in this series are designed to be visited at any point you feel a disconnect from your writing.
For each question, I suggest taking your time in finding your answer. This could be anywhere from a day or two to a week. And, who knows, a few weeks from now, or even in a year, this question might pop into your head out of the blue and leave you with a brand new perspective on your why. These are definitely meant to be questions that provoke deep thought and their answers will be constantly evolving.
So here’s the first one:
What sparked the idea for this story?
Now, you might be tempted to write this off as a “really Katie, you want me to answer such a simple question?” But don’t! You need to go beyond the surface for this one and dig deep. I didn’t just write my fox book because I had the idea of a sapphic Ladyhawk. I wrote it because I loved the aesthetic of winter and I wanted to include very specific tropes and I wanted to explore versions of found family. There’s also all the messy bits of my heart that just wanted to escape onto the page and those are just as important to what sparked the idea for this story. So, Scribbler’s, dig deep and let yourself really examine what sparked your idea for your story. I suggest getting out your journal and recording your thoughts. Don’t hold back. Be bold in identifying all the elements that came together to spark the idea for this story.
Now we’re ready for question Two:
Look back at what you wrote and find evidence of that spark.
Try to work from memory here and list out places or scenes or elements of your manuscript that took that spark and fanned it into a roaring blaze. You can also look back and find lines or scenes or elements and let yourself fangirl over them!
Remember, take your time, this one isn’t a race where you have to come up with a list in 10 minutes or less. Let this question ping around in your brain for a week and see what it uncovers. Seeing the evidence of your love for an idea can help get you back on track.
The past two questions have focused on what sparked the idea for a project and how that spark manifested on the page. For our third question, we’re going to zoom out a bit and reflect on the bigger aspects of what brings joy to your writing.
Something you’ll hear again and again is that you should write what you love. But have you ever taken the time to take an in depth look at what you love and how it shows up in your writing?
No? Perfect, then you’re ready the next question:
What do you love about writing?
It might seem like a simple question, but, take your time, let it cook and see what comes out. Think about how writing fulfills emotional, mental, or physical needs and then think about why that matters to you. Your response is going to help you discover and clarify what it is about writing that speaks to your soul and makes it something you can’t ignore. I know I say it everytime, but it bears repeating: Be honest and bold in your response–these answers are only for you!
Now that you’ve reflected on what you love about writing. What did you discover? What left you curious to explore deeper? Explore those ideas and see where it takes you!
For our final question, we’re flipping the last question on its head.
What don’t you enjoy about writing?
Oof, right? If you’re like me, your mind is probably churning out answers like it’s going out of style. So, pause, take a breath, and don’t let any negative thoughts take control. I know, easier said than done, but it’s still important to try! Remember you just spent all that time identifying all the things you love about writing and how it feeds your soul.
Definitely take your time with this one and investigate each thought that pops up. If getting stuck or encountering writers block is something you don’t enjoy, dig deeper and try to uncover the why behind that. If you’ve ever used the third level emotions technique with your characters, it’s kind of like you’re applying that to yourself. Remember, be gentle with yourself. Reflecting on less than happy things can be tough, so definitely take your time!
Once you’ve spent some time compiling your thoughts, you need to take one more step. And this one is important–don’t skip it! I need you to assess each item on your list and come up with a challenge statement. This is going to look different for everyone, but it’s going to be your way of taking control of that negative element and reframing it. Now, this isn’t intended to erase the difficulty, but its intended to shift the balance of power so you can control it rather than have it control you.
If we go back to my example of being stressed by writers block, a challenge statement might be something like
“Writer's block means I’m not setting this story up right, so I need to let go of this idea and try something completely different. I give myself permission to do something outrageous and unexpected in this story.”
No matter what, your challenge statement needs to shift the balance of control from the element back to you. I personally like to include the “I give myself permission” bit because I’ve found it very freeing to give myself permission to do things I’m hesitant about, it really unblocks something or me.
As always, your mileage may vary! Take what helps and leave what doesn't! We’d love to here about what sparks your love for writing! Drop a comment and tell us!
