Why I Write

By Claire Enos

I am sure I've mentioned things that people have said to me in the past. Not just the good, but that bad: the parts where they ask why I'm even going into English in college when it won't be useful to me in the future. Well, the other day I was sitting in Spanish class, waiting for class to start, and I was staring at something (can't remember what) but it sparked a bunch of questions in my mind and I decided to write this in my notebook:

I don't write because I have so much experience or because I have a ton I can write about. I mean, lets be honest, I'm not exactly wise or older. I'm barely 22, and I have barely any writing or life experience compared to my friends and family who write. I write because I enjoy it. I write because it is my life. I write because I am curious. I like making up stories based on situations. I like taking things out of proportion and reordering them to create a whole different story. I like doing the research. What makes a person a good writer isn't whether or not they know what they are doing or have a ton of experience to write on; It's knowing what makes a good story, knowing that some things make sense and some don't, having an imagination, being curious and doing the research. You could be the best writer in the world, and if your story isn't interesting no one will read it. That is why I write: To tell a story, to do the research, to satisfy my curiosity.

They say "curiosity killed the cat." I like to remind them that "satisfaction brought him back."

Life is full of experience, but if you don't have the guts to follow through with your curiosity and write something worth reading, you won't make it far.

<3Claire

PS: Friday was my 22nd birthday, and this is one of the pictures from my party. A picture is worth a thousand words, right?