What moves you to take pause and write? Why do you blog? What makes you take a snapshot and post it on the web? What motivates you to take the time and publish a post on the web?
George Orwell once wrote an essay on the reasons for writing. It is probably one of my favorite essays on writing that I have read. Another one would be Edgar Allan Poes’ composition.
Reading it now and also looking at the large expanse of the writers universe on the web I can say that Orwell did not touch on everything. Most if not all reasons he mentioned centered on non-monetary reasons for writing.
People write for a living. The Russian writer Anton Chekov wrote several short stories to make a living.
But there are other reasons for writing and Orwell, who was also a prolific writer and wrote as a means to earn income wrote that these were:
To record and to report things that happen.
To point out to the reader an d to the world an object, animal, person, event, and phenomena of (i) beauty; (ii) interest; (iii) uniqueness.
To move the reader to act to a certain way. Mark Anthony’s speech before the Romans who were looking at the body of the assasinated Caesar along with his assassins is a classic example of moving people. Even the use of honorable men was used so effectively that at the end of the speech. These honorable men were then viewed as anything else but that.
To satisfy an aesthetic sense of proportion. To see beauty in the written word. People who read aloud poems and stories would know this. The play and use of words to paint and give voice to our worlds is such an example.
To satisy the ego: To satisfy us: A sense of pride and fulfillment when one finishes a work is a reward. Applause or acclaim for one’s work is a form of reward and a reason to write.
To record
To point out
To move people
To satisfy an aesthetic need
And to satisfy the ego
These reasons have been mentioned is what Orwell said were the reasons he wrote. Of course there are more reasons for writing. One could be the same need that prompted the King’s barber to dig a hole in the bamboo grove and shout about the King’s Donkey Ears. Or the need of people to tell Fairy Tales to remind children and adults that there is victory over a witch, an Evil Stepmother or a Tyrant. Or to show how the powerful can be humbled in a story or an essay.
What is yours?
Why write a post?
What moves you to take pause and write? Why do you blog? What makes you take a snapshot and post it on the web? What motivates you to take the time and publish a post on the web?
George Orwell once wrote an essay on the reasons for writing. It is probably one of my favorite essays on writing that I have read. Another one would be Edgar Allan Poes’ composition.
Reading it now and also looking at the large expanse of the writers universe on the web I can say that Orwell did not touch on everything. Most if not all reasons he mentioned centered on non-monetary reasons for writing.
People write for a living. The Russian writer Anton Chekov wrote several short stories to make a living.
But there are other reasons for writing and Orwell, who was also a prolific writer and wrote as a means to earn income wrote that these were:
To record and to report things that happen.
To point out to the reader an d to the world an object, animal, person, event, and phenomena of (i) beauty; (ii) interest; (iii) uniqueness.
To move the reader to act to a certain way. Mark Anthony’s speech before the Romans who were looking at the body of the assasinated Caesar along with his assassins is a classic example of moving people. Even the use of honorable men was used so effectively that at the end of the speech. These honorable men were then viewed as anything else but that.
To satisfy an aesthetic sense of proportion. To see beauty in the written word. People who read aloud poems and stories would know this. The play and use of words to paint and give voice to our worlds is such an example.
To satisy the ego: To satisfy us: A sense of pride and fulfillment when one finishes a work is a reward. Applause or acclaim for one’s work is a form of reward and a reason to write.
To record
To point out
To move people
To satisfy an aesthetic need
And to satisfy the ego
These reasons have been mentioned is what Orwell said were the reasons he wrote. Of course there are more reasons for writing. One could be the same need that prompted the King’s barber to dig a hole in the bamboo grove and shout about the King’s Donkey Ears. Or the need of people to tell Fairy Tales to remind children and adults that there is victory over a witch, an Evil Stepmother or a Tyrant. Or to show how the powerful can be humbled in a story or an essay.
What is yours?