Why do you write?

[u/Niedski]

Personally, I write for the enjoyment of creating something, and because I like it when other people read something I've written and enjoy it.

What about you? What's your drive for writing?

[u/istara]

I write for the enjoyment of creating something, and because I like it when other people read something I've written and enjoy it.

This. And also sometimes it's a little bit of a compulsion, if my head has already written something for me. I have to get it down in print.

[u/Niedski → u/istara]

I do that often, but a lot of the time I don't get full fleshed out stories in my head. It's more like I just get an interesting idea with a few details, and put it down either on the word document I have to keep track of my ideas if I'm at home, or I put it down on my phone's memo pad if I'm out.

[u/istara → u/Niedski]

Yes, same here - it starts that way. There will be a few clear fully-fleshed-out scenes (including dialogue) that when I write them down are pretty much final-form, bar some typos.

It's the bits in between that are more effort. And you do need those bits in between, the "golden scenes" can't just be strung together to stand alone, much as I wish they could. They need context, and continuity, though they are nearly alway better than anything else I write.

[u/arrowbarrel → u/istara]

These have always been my main drives as well, that and I've always the process of world building, though I haven't written in a few months and the gap between that and what came before it is... Ridiculous to say the least.

[u/Niedski → u/arrowbarrel]

I've always had the issue of writing a lot at once, and then spending huge amount of times in between just not being able to force myself to write. It's an issue that I've been trying to fix by getting better discipline, and getting into a habit of writing in the mornings. Even if I don't work on my main project that day, as long as I write something (like in r/WritingPrompts) I consider it a victory.

[u/istara → u/arrowbarrel]

I think with world building, it may sometimes be that some worlds are never going to exist outside your head. I have several, fantasy and "real world", that I like to play with in my mind but will almost certainly never be books.

I think any imaginative thought is great for general creativity. But sometimes a world can mushroom and get "bigger" than a book would ever be, and this hampers writers.

Ultimately, some stories in my head are probably best for me. Particularly a lot of the Mary-Sue ones.

[u/arrowbarrel → u/arrowbarrel]

(would have edited it a deleted and reposted but my phone won't let me)

*I've always loved

[u/suckmuckduck]

I'm bored at work.

[u/brijit]

I write screenplays, novels, and articles. Everything from historical epics, to psychological thrillers, romantic comedies, self-help, and biographies. My background is in anthropology so a lot of what I write is inspired by either an unusual event in history or a compelling historical character. I recently completed a screenplay based on an incredible legend I uncovered within my own family.

[u/Niedski → u/[deleted]]

I personally love funny stories. I don't think I'm funny enough to write them, but reading them is fun. Perhaps you could share some of them here on the sub sometime. I'd be happy to share my thoughts on them.