Why Write?

Aspiring and successful writers alike are drawn to writing for different reasons. In my case, it was because of a life-changing situation that I started writing, or, should I say, that caused me to shift the balance of writing in my life.

Engaging in writing was always part of my life, whether it was the writing for cathartic or therapeutic purposes, for essays in various educational settings, or eventually writing articles for magazines and newspapers. My love of writing and learning meant I drifted into an academic career, and I was therefore one of the snooty ones who had to write for equally snooty academic types as part of the job. If someone asked me before I became an academic whether I could write, I don’t know how I would have answered that. What I would have said was that I loved writing. However, that was until I became an academic.Continue reading