Do You Know the WHY Behind Your Writing?

This is a month of transition at Almost an Author. Donna is stepping down as Managing Editor and I am taking her place. The change of editor should not make a difference to A3 or its quality content.  Even so, at times of transition, it’s a good idea to pause and revisit our WHY.

Almost an Author was started back in 2015 with three main purposes:

• To help aspiring writers learn craft
• To help aspiring writers launch their careers
• To create a marketable platform for columnists that would open doors and help them find outlets for their work.

These WHYs are still true today.

Do you know the WHY behind your writing?

Companies spend big bucks crafting corporate vision statements because they know that their business will be more effective if every employee understands their corporate WHY. A good vision statement can guide employee decisions from top to bottom, keeping the whole company on track.

You and I don’t have paid consultants and multi-departmental committees to help us create a personal vision statement, but we can write a sentence or two that captures our WHY for writing (or any other area of our lives).

Can you explain the WHY that guides and motivates your writing efforts in a few succinct sentences?  If not, you might want to spend some time pondering your reasons.

Why is it so important to know your WHY?

Knowing your WHY helps you:

• Navigate change
• Face disappointments
• Remain patient in the waiting times
• Keep motivated when things get hard, frustrating, or confusing
• Find the courage to face your fears
• Counteract the negative voices in your head
• Remember where your strength and inspiration comes from
• Judge when to take an opportunity and when to opt out
• Prioritize which tasks are important
• Choose topics or themes for your next piece.

Here are some questions that will help you define or refine your WHY. 

1. Why do you write?
   1. Why did you start writing in the first place?
   1. Why have you decided to continue writing?
   1. Why is writing important to your soul?
2. How are you honoring God with your writing?
3. Why have you chosen to spend time on a particular work-in-progress?
4. What do you hope your WIP will accomplish:
   1. For you?
   1. For your readers?
5. Do you have a WHY for every facet of your writing, including: your blog, platform, social media, marketing, speaking, the genres you work in, etc.
6. Are you intentional about filling your mind and soul with messages that reinforce your WHY?

The more you clarify your WHYs, the easier it becomes to discern which activities fit your personal writing calling and which do not.

Where do you find knowing your WHY is most helpful to your writing journey?

Lisa E. Betz believes that everyone has a story to tell the world. She loves to encourage fellow writers to be intentional about their craft and courageous in sharing their words with others. Lisa shares her words through dramas, Bible studies, historical mysteries, and her blog about intentional living. You can find her on Facebook  LisaEBetzWriter and Twitter @LisaEBetz