I know a lot of times we think of writing as something to master and to be disciplined and grow in — blah, blah, blah. It can sometimes be the case where we just forget how much writing can matter to us in other ways.
Jordan Rosenfeld, who gave me the inspiration for 2011 to be the Year of Spaciousness, recently posted her 10 Reasons Why Writing Matters. My favorites from her list:
#9: Writing helps heal and process wounds and grief, clearing them out
#5: Writing connects you with others through blogging, writing groups, live readings, and self-publishing outlets like Scribd and Smashwords
#3: Writing hones your powers of observation, giving you a fuller experience of life
From my own perspective, writing matters to me because it allows me to share and empathize emotions through my characters, gives me a way to explore and create other worlds through my creativity, and most of all provides me an outlet to connect with others who have a passion for writing and reading novels.
What are some of the reasons writing matters to you?
And for those of you who are interested, the author/instructor is holding a contest based on her 10 reasons. Entries will be put into a drawing to win a free spot in any one of her forthcoming 1-week intensives in December.
#9 really rings a bell! It also helps me process anger in a more creative and passive manner! :D That post will be up soon on my blog ;)
I have always loved to write. And I agree that writing gives us a better view into the world around us. Great post.
An excellent post! This is so important for us to remember. Writing matters to me because it keeps me growing, learning, and expands my mind.
Writing matters to me b/c of the emotional power behind stories. I love reading them and I love writing them.
Saba: #9 spoke to me as well. Writing can be a great outlet for emotions.
Kristi: Yes, writing can help us sort out the craziness of this world — and also the beauty in it.
Heather: This is what I love about writing as well. There is always something new to learn.
Laura: I love it when a story hits an emotional mark. This is one of the reasons I love writing/reading stories too.
I like those! Writing matters to me because it brings me so much joy, a sense of accomplishment and a whole lot of fun :)
I completely agree with the reasons you listed. Besides being a way to express myself, writing helps me to connect with others and process things that have happened to me (good or bad) in the past.
Jemi: Good point about fun. Sometimes we forget how fun writing can be for us.
Ghenet: Writing can be really good therapy to write out bad times but also for remembering really good times too.
I connected to #8 (strengthens imagination), #9 (heal and process wounds), and #5 (connecting to others).
Thanks for the links and have a great week.