If I took a poll of writers, I bet the vast majority would say they write because they love to. I’m one of them. Writing is a passion for me, a way of caring for myself and having fun.
But that’s not everything there is to it.
Now I’m not talking about making money, though if you’re a professional writer this is certainly a necessary evil.
I’m talking about communication. What does communication need? A speaker, a message, and a hearer.
So what I’m saying is you could have an amazing message, and you can shout it out there, but if no one is listening, you haven’t communicated. Your writing isn’t achieving its full potential.
How do we as writers get our message heard?
We need to look at writing as giving.
When we write, we’re giving something of ourselves to others. And like any good gift, it ought to be something the recipient is going to value.
Think about your writing. You could write any genre – non-fiction or fiction, everything from an epic novel to a blog post – and this still applies. If no one sees value in your writing, they won’t read it.
Here are some ways to take stock of the value in your writing: (I’m talking fiction because that’s what I write, but non-fiction writers can certainly apply some of these)
1. Is it there because it drives the story, or is it there because I like it?
2. Does the reader have enough reason to root for this character?
Is he getting too many easy breaks? Does she try hard enough? Are the stakes high enough for the problem to be story-worthy?
3. Do the themes and plot developments flow naturally or do they seem forced?
4. What might I need to let go of as an author to make this read better?
5. Am I giving enough of myself, or am I cheating my readers out of my deepest experiences and emotions?
This isn’t a complete list, but you get the idea. As you’re writing today, try to think about what you’d want as a reader, and give that to your audience.
Erin E. M. Hatton 
I don’t write fiction, but a story has to be part of everything we write in order to interest people. The thing I tell everyone that the best writing has is “character development”. The character starts one way, experiences something, and then the story is about how they change. The best stories show the inner world of that character.
I LOVE reading – and writing. Thanks for your interesting ideas!
Thanks Lianda! 🙂
Great thought. Our writing is giving something of ourselves. I love to give1
Thanks Francene! 🙂 Giving can be just as good for the giver as the recipient.
I don’t write fiction, but I certainly like to read, especially Science-Fiction.
SciFi needs a little bit more than regular fiction though, on top of all you mentioned above.
As it requires the reader to suspend disbelief while immersing into the story, it has to keep things logical there. One thing gets you to another, but the passage should be smooth and should make sense in the context of the imagined alternate reality of that piece of writing.
Unfortunately, probably only under 10% manage to do that.
I don’t know why… maybe main stream fiction writers, w/o a solid scientific grasp (if not background), try their hand at it and fail.
What do you think, Erin?
~Steve
I agree, Steve – I’m a Sci-Fi fan as well, but I tend to shy away from books I don’t know for just that reason. I’m always looking for good recommendations. 🙂
How true that writing is for giving and sharing your self, your story and your experience. It’s one of my passions, too, whether it is creative writing, blogging, journaling or just putting pen to paper for the pleasure of seeing what comes to life. Thanks for a great post!
Thanks Deb! 🙂