Why Do I Write?

There must be some reason why I spend hundreds of hours on rough drafts and book dummies, many of which never get published. I suppose there are plenty of reasons.

Here are ten of them.

1. Good Books. When I read a top notch children's book like The Wednesday Wars by Gary Schmidt or Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus by Mo Willems, I'm inspired to try my hardest to join their ranks on the bookshelves.

2. Bad Books. When I pick up a trite or didactic book in the New Books section of my local bookstore, I get furious that such sloppy stories are being published for kids, and my ego screams, "I can do better than that!" So I try.

3. It's who I am. I call myself an author, and to retain that identity, I need to write.

4. Guilt. Creating good books for young people is my heart's desire, and when I don't write, I feel like I'm disappointing myself by not pursuing that dream.

5. Past Successes. The positive comments and awards my books have received are great for my self-esteem. I like being recognized for my work, and it's a wonderful thing to be told that I'm good at something.

6. Critique Groups. They hold me accountable. They also provide me with good role models of people who are diligent and serious with their writing.

7. Freedom. Writing gives me a wonderfully flexible schedule. I don't have to commute to my job (which is especially nice during Minnesota blizzards), and when I hear the horror stories of my friends who work for large corporations, I thank my lucky stars that I am self-employed.

8. Variety. One day I might be visiting an elementary school to talk to kids about using similes, the next day I might be learning how to use a new computer software program to illustrate a book, and the day after that I might be going on a hot air balloon ride as research for a novel. How many other jobs encompass such a wide range of activities?

9. Hope. I'm optimistic enough to believe that each story I start might find its way through the obstacle course of rejection letters and overworked editors and eventually become a book that people I have never met will someday read.

But even if I never had another book accepted for publication, or if I never received another award for one of my books, I suspect that I would still keep writing. Why?

10. Because I love to create. I love to pretend. I love to use my imagination. Making books and writing stories (just like carving pumpkins and entering contests) is a way for me to be creative. When I've come up with a surprising or fresh or funny idea for a book, when I'm truly being creative, it fills me with joy. And that's a pretty good feeling.