Telling a story – What is the Point?

A thought came into my head recently.

“Why do I write?”

My answer always was, because I love it. I want to make this my dream come true. A job I can live for and be passionate about. So I work at it. I write and I write and I write. Then I don’t write and feel bad for not writing (an everyday struggle for writers). But what is the passion that drives me towards this journey? Throughout the years, writing was a form of therapy. I never thought of the function of writing. Ultimately, you write to tell stories. Whether it be your own or someone else’s, pen meets paper and a story evolves from this act.

What story do I have to tell?

In the last couple of months, I lived in this existential crisis over my writing. I’m not talking about the fear of not making it or that I’ll waste my energy on a hobby that won’t give me financial gain. For me, my purpose for writing keeps me up at night. I work on the stories and the characters. I attempt to craft a style that suits me as an author. But I write these literary moments onto paper and I wonder, what is the point? What is the point of these characters? What am I trying to say with this story I am creating?

With these questions boiling in my head, I couldn’t write. I fear not being original enough but I also don’t care about being original. I imagine these stories in my head, but once they hit my computer screen, I wonder if they mean anything. What is the point of all of this?

Until recently, I remembered that there is no point. All that matters is what is on the page. I breathe life into these characters with each keystroke and like that famous image, they won’t stop talking until they are written down. My purpose for writing was for pleasure. However, with this existential dread, I remember the craftsmanship of it all. As writers, we craft stories that are either worth telling or just so we can silence our brains.

I have come to love the art of writing. I love to learn new techniques from fellow writers. They inspire me to try new things and make me love the medium more. With each new edit, I add something new to my style, and the fact that I have a style baffles me. I educate myself on the use of descriptions and imagery. What images do I want to be associated with my work? What themes do I want to touch upon? I struggle with character dialogue so I take my time with it and listen to new tips with each new edit. Editing remains the most arduous task of writing, but I’ve grown to fall in love with it. I shape my writing and craft it into this piece of art. The story doesn’t have to be new, but the way you write can be. Something as simple as a scene where it’s just two people talking in a greenhouse can limit you but also enhance your story in many ways that you never thought possibe. That is the beauty of writing. Learn and fine tune your craft. Dont get bogged down by your ultimate meaning in your work. As you write and edit, the central message or theme or the point will reveal itself.

I hope you enjoyed this post and I shall see ye all in the next one.