An Odd Question

[T. Thom]

An odd question for all of you, what is you goal as a writer?
Example my friend writes novels and shorts in a poetry format because she thinks the most important thing in writing is beauty. My other friend fills hers with sarcastic and witty remarks because the most important thing in her writing is to show wit. But what is the most important, or the goal of your work. Maybe I’m asking because I don’t know what my goal is but I would still like to hear what you all think.
T. Thom

[mammamaia]

in my old, discarded, material life, my primary goal was to make a living, a close second was to write whatever landed in my head and needed to get out for others to enjoy reading...

since then, as a full time practicing philosopher, my only goal is to have as many as possible read what i write...

[James A. Ritchie]

To have fun, and to earn a living, as we all must do, one way or another.

[max2011]

my goal is to be successful in what I do- whether it be writing or other

[Nordin]

to express myself..

[AndreaClimbing]

To show how I see the world. It´s not a goal, because I´m doing it already, but the reason I write. My goal would be to get published, more than once, to actually be read by lots of people, and to keep improving as a writer.

[lorincor]

I would love to make a living writing, however my ultimate goal is to have someone waiting at midnight at Barnes and Nobles for the release of my next book! How cool would that be? My goal is to inspire through writing.

[lesliemunnelly]

To allow my imagination to flourish! Of course, publication would be cool, too.

[amirsdaddy]

My goal in the writing itself is to touch people, to make them think and make them say "Wow!" through compelling, beautiful and simple storytelling. And ultimately, to touch people, they have to read it which means publication. Eventually, making a living off it would be ideal.

[Qwertyportne]

My goal in the writing itself is to touch people, to make them think and make them say "Wow!" through compelling, beautiful and simple storytelling. And ultimately, to touch people, they have to read it which means publication. Eventually, making a living off it would be ideal.

I like your goal very much. A quote by Patti Davis comes to mind, the daughter of Nancy Reagan: “Stories live in your bones and blood; they ride the wind, follow the seasons and light candles on the darkest nights--every storyteller knows he or she is also a teacher.”

And what better motivation than Ray Bradbury's questions: “How long has it been since you wrote a story where your real love, hate, prejudice and passion slammed the page like a lightning bolt? What are the worst and best things in your life? When are you going to get around to whispering or shouting them?”

In my working years I wrote to keep beans on the table and a roof over our heads. But writing has always been more important to me than earning a living. I discovered at a very early age that writing helps me to organize my thoughts and feelings, to make sense of things. Two quotes come to mind as I write this, the first from Robert W. Russell and the second from Flannery O’Connor:

"Every clear sentence I write removes more undergrowth of confusion from my mind."
"I don’t know what I think until I see what I say."

Writing has also been a way to explore my many selves, to flesh them out for use as one or more of the characters in a poem or a story. Sam Keene says it so well and makes it clear he is not talking about schizophrenia: "Few of us know the fantastic characters, emotions, perceptions and demons that inhabit the theatres that are our minds. We are content to tell a single story, to construct a consistent character, to fix our identity. We are thus defined more by neglected possibilities than by realized ones. We rehearse and repeat a monotonous monologue while heroes and villains, saints and madmen, ascetics and libertines wait in the wings for a chance to seize the stage and run wild. Be all those characters who wander around in your head--discover a few of your many selves. You can become authentically public only by going to the depths of your private."

In 2011, my goal was to become a columnist for a local newspaper and I accomplished that late last year. My goal for 2012 is to finish my story for young adults and get it published. If not, I'll make that my goal for 2013.

There are so many answers to why we write and our goals for doing so. I look forward to hearing more...

--Bill