“Why we write” — inspiration from Neil Gaiman

Do you ever hit what Seth Godin called “The Dip”? Nothing matters. The act of making words appear with your fingertips no longer seems magical; it seems like a slog. You wonder why you even bother to write.

You, my friend, need a hit of Neil Gaiman.

"Somewhere out there is someone who needs that story. Someone who...without that story will be a different person. And who with that story may have hope, or wisdom, or kindness, or comfort. And that is why we write."

Hope, wisdom, kindness, comfort—I can’t think of better gifts. It’s like wrapping your readers in a soft, hand-knitted afghan. And then surrounding them with puppies. (Assuming they’re not allergic to puppies.)

However hard the writing may be, it can’t compare with the payoff for your reader. Whatever story you’re telling, someone needs to hear it. So write, already.

  • mindset
  • writing