The following quote is from Lee Eisenberg who references Anaïs Nin and some of the meaningful reasons why us writers write. It is a quote I found on Goodreads, originally published in Lee’s book The Point Is: Making Sense of Birth, Death, and Everything in Between.
Lee Eisenberg is an American editor and author, famously known as the editor-in-chief of Esquire magazine during the 1970s and 1980s as well as one of the founding partners of the Edison Project. Now only that, but he also joined Time Inc. in 1995 and helped launch Time.com and Time for Kids, among many other significant accomplishments he’s made in his career and life. I didn’t know who Lee Eisenberg was before I found this quote, but now I am very glad I came across his name and learned about this great creative and businessman who’s made such an impact.
I am also glad I came across this wonderful quote, in particular. Not only do I love Anaïs Nin and her work, I also love thinking about the reasons why I write and why others write. Some of us write for emotional and philosophical reasons, like making sense of the world around us and sharing our interpretations or sharing our deepest thoughts and emotions with the world because we couldn’t function otherwise. On the other hand, there are reasons that are perhaps not so obvious and yet potentially even more crucial than those, like the simple intention of writing to communicate with another person. Regardless of one’s reason for writing, writing is a beautiful, meaningful, tool that I know many of us could not live without. Writing is a part of our lives.
Now although I believe the quotes I feature here can stand alone, as they are quotes that stand out to me and reveal a powerful message, these quotes also inspire me to ask questions and see what more we can learn about ourselves beyond the written words. So now I’d like to ask you, thinking about the quote featured above, what are some of the reasons why you write? Really think about it. Make a list.
Now, how did it feel to make this list? Have you made a list like this before? Also, how does it make you feel to know that those are your reasons? Did any of those reasons surprise you? Did they anger you or make you uncomfortable? Or did they, in fact, give you a renewed sense of purpose? Reflect on your list and take note of all that you’re feeling. Depending on how your list has appeared to you, go ahead and take the next appropriate step. Go on and write.
Friends, I would love to hear your thoughts and read your lists! If you’d like to share, please include your thoughts in the comments or send me an email at [email protected]. Here’s to celebrating why we write and why we live! ♥
