I’m not sure why other people write, but I write to learn. Writing, for me, is an attempt to put some order to all those ideas and thoughts bouncing around in my head. They are like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle that come together through the process of writing. Sometimes, it seems I don’t really know what I think about something until I write it. Even then, it’s often more of a hypothesis.
Nor do I don’t think my ideas are so brilliant that everybody needs to learn them. I am just one of those people that thinks best on paper — or through a keyboard. Sometimes, although a set of ideas sound good in my head, when I type them out they look rather foolish.
So why do I post these idea on a blog? Because even though it might make sense to me, I want to bounce these ideas off you. Though it might make sense to me, if it sounds like gibberish to you, or you can show me where I am wrong, I might change my views.
That is part of why I write. Why do you write? And have I said anything foolish recently that you want to point out?
I write to learn as well. I write to share too. I write for therapy. To bring me closer to an understanding. I write as a way to devote myself to him.
I like your last point. Sometimes, when I write, I am reminded of the quote from Chariots of Fire where Eric Liddel says he feels God’s pleasure when he runs. I sometimes feel God’s pleasure when I write.
I write because I find it therapeutic. Both physically and mentally. I enjoy the physical process of putting down thoughts on paper with men or allowing my fingers to fly across the keyboard like Victor Borga at the piano. Mentally I like having my thoughts visible on paper/screen instead of bouncing around my head. They make more sense that way.
I like that. I find it quite therapeutic also. I went through some major depression a while back, and writing is one thing that pulled me out.
I like your ideas of playing music with your keyboard. You are an artist when you write a post!
The ideas are like shimmering ghosts on the horizon–like seeing a mirage in the desert.
The looking glass is the writings of others which allows me to see those shimmering images more clearly.
My own writing is the process of traveling across the expanse to reach those images so that they become tangible–I need to see their blemishes, touch their scars, and smell their funk.
Sometimes, though, the ideas just turn out to be illusions. But I still have to travel there to find out one way or the other.
As a visual person, these things floating around in my head are all dioramas. Like floating little shoe boxes turned on their sides with elaborate three dimensional scenes inside. I guess that’s why if a writer doesn’t use plenty of imagery and visual metaphors then I can hardly make it through their work.
C.S. Lewis was a brilliant man, but give me Shakespeare any day!
I know what you mean about your writing sometimes turning out be illusions. This was an imaginative comment. Thanks!
Again with the questions that force me to think…
I started writing to parallel my PhD studies. I was studying the church and wanted to put my thoughts out there to see what kind of feedback I would get. Now, my reasons for writing have changed. Now, I write to both learn from others and to help others. That last part may sound like I’m boasting. I don’t mean to be. People have written to me and told me that my writing has been beneficial to them. For some reason, God has chosen to use my writing to help people, so I’m going to keep writing as long as that’s still the case.
-Alan
Alan, it’s not boasting! I, for one, have learned so much from your writing. I can’t wait until you get books out there!
I guess this answers my question “Why do you blog?” This one was posted before I began reading your blog.
Yes. This maybe isn’t the full explanation, but it is part of it.