What drives writers everywhere?

Letters.

Writers are in love with letters.

Letters that they can mold and shape into words. Words that come together into sentences that will impact the minds of people. Writers feel an urgent need to make an impression on the world around them.

Writers see a wrong and want to write that wrong away.

At least they think they can.

Writers just don’t come out of nowhere. More than likely they are fashioned and formed from the influence of other writers. Those particular writers whose strong ideas push them to write as well. Writers read alot and they have ravenous appetites at that. Much like a miner they won’t stop until they’ve found that glowing stone of information in the midst of a dark black cave.

Ideas swirl around the heads of writers everyday. And for that they are misunderstood.

The rhythms, beats, pulses, and tempos of words flow into sentences, then paragraphs and before you know it pages upon pages of a symphony of words all tuned into the parts that play from one harmonious thought to the next.

Writers love to write. Actually, they are madly in love with writing.

Ever heard of do what you love even though you are not going to get paid for it? Or rather do what you love and the money will come. Becoming an established writer is always congruous with how much money you are paid to write.

Money, the crushing reality for writers. The thing that gets in the way of writing. Writing for hire. Setting a fee to justify your written content.

Just like actors, writers have to take on jobs outside of writing just to feed their daily habit, oops, their love for writing. They make do when they are not paid on a consistent basis for what they love to do.

Writing has caught on as a way to put you on the map or to establish your credibility in a field of expertise. If you aren’t a published author then no one will take you seriously. Hence the reason I started this blog in the first place. This blog is a precursor to my writing a book. Those who are not writers by profession know that ghost writers will rescue them. They become famous alright, and their book in the Library of Congress establishes that fact for generations to come.

Writers dream of making it into: the Library of Congress too, as well as The New York Times best sellers list, required reading in grade school, middle school, highschool and college, blogger of the year, Pulitzer prize, National Book award, and the list goes on. Now that’s money you want to bank on while you are alive. Not so much the “Dead Poets Society,” I think I’ll pass on that one.

Real writers famous and not so famous write for just because. The reasons are as many as the stars in the sky. They are true writers from the heart.

When just one person likes their post, writers become ecstatic. They’ve made a connection! Just like the first time I had a teacher in my 10th grade English class write on my paper, “Keep on writing.” The only way I can describe that feeling would be like the thunderous applaud of 5,000 shouting “Encore, encore,” in a crowded theater. Or rather, “More, more!” Yes, fantasies do overtake writers at times.

Writers crave the attention that only reading from masses of people can satisfy. A writer wants that claim of conquering hearts and minds. The summit feeling of writing a great book that people are rushing to buy. That fleeting moment where you are spoken of as, “Now that was good book.”

Writers need support systems. Those who support writers  should be recognized as well. Part of a writer’s fantasy is,”I’ll like to thank __________ for supporting me all of these years.”

I would be in remiss if I did not acknowledge American Writers & Artists Inc. for reigniting my engine for writing. AWAI’s sister publication, “Barefoot Writer,’ details every month those who are make a living as copywriters and other writing professions. I love the stories they tell as well as all the fabulous writers at AWAI who are writing them. Thank-you.

Now writing for a living is not as easy as it sounds.

Nothing boosts a writer than the popularity of sales from their work.

It certainly takes a lot of courage. Courage in the midst of not being noticed. Even when you are tempted to write garbage (see fake news) to get noticed. Integrity and knowing that your name will always be associated with ugly words prevents most in it for the right (write) reasons to not go there.  Real writers don’t want to fall into a pit of deadly words.

Nevertheless, unknown writers live on for another day, hoping they’ll be discovered.

That their words will matter.

A writer that will be appreciated for the hard work, sweat and tears, sleepless nights thinking up ideas, and everything else they’ve sacrificed just to be a writer.

They just want to impart to the world true words that won’t be forgotten.

Writers have a sincere appreciation for other writers. We simply support other writers by buying their books. Buying e-books, hardcover books, magazines, and even taking books out of the library when space becomes an issue. If we really are into an author’s style, we will read as many books from that author as we can. I think that would go for writers and non-writers alike.  The love of writing is reciprocated in a circle of nurturing other writers.

Writers want others to become writers like themselves. No one can remember much about any topic unless it is in a book written well. How would architects, lawyers, plumbers, bridge builders, ship builders, true spiritual leaders, Naturalists, Chemists, etc. become who they are if the principles, directives, and terminologies of their professions were not written down? Clearly writers are the sustainers in any civilization.

Writers love to see reading and writing encouraged in children. My favorite toy to give a child is a book. A book they can come back to again and again. With each reading the child grows to discover some new insight. Now I know most adults in the western world are not still reading, “The Little Engine That Could.” Nevertheless, the lesson of unwavering optimism can stay with you for a lifetime and then some.

I know I can

I know I can

Become a writer.

Why?

Because.

My love for writing will pull me through.

Regine Baptiste

Copyright 6/2019