Why I Write

Did anyone know that October 20 is the National Day on Writing? I found out about it on October 21. I totally missed it, did you?

According to The National Council of Teachers of English's website, this is why the National Day on Writing was started.

In light of the significance of writing in our national life, to draw attention to the remarkable variety of writing we engage in, and to help writers from all walks of life recognize how important writing is to their lives, NCTE established October 20 as The National Day on Writing.  The National Day on Writing

• points to the importance of writing instruction and practice at every grade level, for every student and in every subject area from preschool through university (see The Genteel Unteaching of America’s Poor), 
• emphasizes the lifelong process of learning to write and composing for different audiences, purposes, and occasions, and 
• encourages Americans to write and enjoy and learn from the writing of others.

This is the age of variety. We write when we text, tweet, blog, Facebook, and spin our tales. There are so many different ways of using the written word to communicate and entertain. I think it's pretty brilliant that an act of Congress has made October 20 the National Day on Writing.

The theme for this year was Why I Write. You can search Twitter with the hashtag #whyiwrite and find some great tweets like these:

InspireWriters Elizabeth Thompson I write because I'd burst if I didn't. @nanowrimo #whyiwrite

julieinduvall Julie Benjamin@GrandCentralPub Writing to me is breathing to everyone else. #whyIwrite

MelissaHurst_ Melissa Hurst Because it makes me happy. #whyiwrite

NathanBransford Nathan Bransford Everyone who writes does so because they want to nudge the world in a different direction. #whyiwrite

BethCato Beth Cato Because I see a world of constant what-ifs and I-wonders. #whyIWrite

 So why do I write? My answer has everything to do with why I love to read. I read to escape in a different world, a romantic world, a world that ends happily with forever love. And that is why I write. I want to give someone an escape. I want to entertain. I want to lighten a heart. And if I can point someone to God's love and goodness, well, that would be the coolest thing ever.

So tell me....why do you write?