Sense and Purpose

Having the right sense about why you're writing is the most important tool you need as a writer. Do you want to write for yourself, for others, for a certain targeted group of others? What do you want to accomplish as a writer? In other words, is your passion for writing best described as a desire to express yourself artistically, a desire to communicate with others, a desire to help others, or some other desire? Nailing down exactly why you want to write is important for so many reasons. It guides not only what you write but how you build your writing life. If you are writing to make a living, you will build many more things into your goals and expectations than if you are writing as a hobby. It is important to remember that writing for either reason is still valuable writing. You don't have to have aspirations to be a best selling author in order to have a satisfying and meaningful writing life. Your aspirations may be as simple as writing meaningful memoirs or family histories for your family's enjoyment. That level of writing is no less valuable than the lastest bestseller. So, make sure you have the right "sense" about why you write and let that guide your writing.