This is an interesting question, and one that I’ve been thinking about recently. I particularly like writing short stories and flash fiction to writing prompts. What I most enjoy is creating something with an emotional element, a piece that takes me somewhere that I wasn’t expecting as both a writer and a reader. I especially like coming across something that I’ve written, months or even years ago, and being genuinely surprised by the characters and story.

A while ago, I wrote a list of reasons as to why I write:

1. To find out what I really think.
2. To make stuff up.
3. To create new worlds, give life to characters who inhabit my head in places both real and imagined.
4. To test out what it’s like to be what I know I’m not.
5. To create new stories.
6. To entertain.
7. To encourage.
8. To record in some small way the awe and wonder of life as I experience it.
9. To quest, to search for a deeper layer of meaning.
10. To be playful.
11. To show a different way of seeing and being.
12. To be heard.
13. To surprise.
14. To make myself laugh.
15. To take another viewpoint.
16. To exact revenge, literally.
17. To capture snapshot moments and snatches of eavesdropped conversations.
18. To create empathy for people and situations.
19. To make sense of it all.
20. To be.

What do you like most about your writing?

I’m participating in this blogging challenge for the month of January which supports starting the year on the “write” track. You can find out more about the challenge, join in and read other posts here.

Photo: Writing notebook