Why I Write
In a recent conversation with a group of writers, we were ruminating how writing, like most endeavors, has both mountaintop experiences and desert seasons. Such ups and downs are inevitable, and one must learn how to navigate and persevere, especially during the downtimes. There seemed to be agreement that knowing why we write is helpful to persevere through the desert seasons. I’ve been thinking about it since then and thought I would share a few reasons why I write.
I write to provide hope. We live in a cursed world filled with hurt, destruction, and evil. These realities are ever before us, and we are reminded about them as we converse with others, tune in to the news, or login to social media.
However, these realities are not the full story. God is at work in everyday, ordinary ways in and through his people. We see glimpses of his goodness and grace all around us, but they are easy to miss among the darker realities. Good news doesn’t always sell, and it’s easy to get lost in the barrage of bad news. Writing allows me to paint memorial pictures of God’s truth and grace to remind others of the hope and encouragement we have in Christ.
I write because words are powerful. In the beginning there was nothing, then God spoke, and everything was made. God revealed himself in history through his written Word that is “living and active.” Proverbs tells us that death and life are in the power of the tongue. Whether spoken or written, words have power.
The power of words can be used for good or evil, to build up or tear down. I write because I want to provide another voice that builds up. I hope to structure words in such a way that gives life to someone struggling, provides corrective truth to false ideas, or gives hope to the downcast. If one writes in line with the truth of God’s Word and by the power of his Spirit, then any article has the potential to help someone have a truer and clearer picture of our great God!
I write because it forces me to slow down. I live in Texas, and the famous Texas bluebonnets are in full display in the spring. The state flower of Texas grows wild in many fields and along the highways. The speed limit for many highways in Texas is seventy-five. While going seventy-five(ish), I get a quick glimpse of the bluebonnets and a small appreciation of their beauty.
However, if I pull over, I can walk among the flowers and take in their beauty. My kids can pose for the pictures among the sheets of blue, and we can capture the moment to reminisce later. I smell the aroma coming from the flowers and try to count how many are within my view. Pulling over to relish the flowers gives me an appreciation for them I don’t get when I zoom by at seventy-five miles per hour.
Likewise, life is so fast-paced in my house and for so many people in our community, and it shows no signs of slowing down. There is an endless juggle of errands to run, practices to taxi the kids to, deadlines to meet, etc. Living life at the speed limit, I can miss the moments where God displays glimpses of his goodness. I zoom by the many gracious works he has accomplished while on my way to my next task.
Writing forces me to stop and reflect, to slow down and take a look around and smell a flower or two. Writing makes me decelerate enough to reflect on the beauties of God’s grace that I would have missed in my fast-paced state. There’s been many times I would have missed the bluebonnets if I wasn’t actively writing.
I write because it helps me clarify my thoughts. No matter how nicely I put my headphones in my gym bag, every time I pull them out, they are tangled. (Yes, I’m old-fashioned and still use headphones with wires.) I have to take time to untangle the wires to make them functional for my run.
Likewise, my thoughts often come in such disarray. I can relate to the quote one writer shared: “I don’t know what I think until I write it down.” Writing forces me to take the time to untangle ideas and think them through until they are coherent and communicable.
I write because it forces me to learn. There are seasons of life that I find myself reading a lot; then I go through seasons where Netflix wins my heart more than books. At times I lack the motivation to change my habits to get back into a regular reading schedule. Writing oftentimes provides that necessary motivation to keep reading and keep learning.
I have found that there is usually a direct connection between how many article ideas I have and how much I’m reading. In those seasons when my reading intake decreases, so does the flow of ideas for writing. This provides encouragement and motivation to keep me reading well and reading widely.
I write because I can do no other. God has given me the desire, the opportunity, and, I hope, the gift to write. For whatever reason, he uses ordinary people to push back the darkness with words. When going through a desert season of writing, one of the main reminders that helps me persevere, no matter how frustrated I get, is that the idea of giving it up is too much to bear.
I can’t not write.
What about you . . . why do you write?
James Williams serves as Associate Pastor at FBC Atlanta, Texas, and as a GCD staff writer. He and his wife, Jenny, are blessed with four children and are actively involved in foster care. He is passionate about beholding the beauty of our Lord and helping others do the same. He enjoys writing, running, and gardening. You can follow James on Twitter or his blog where he writes regularly.