I Write Because...

 

Why do I write? The answer to this question has changed throughout my lifetime. Today I write because I love the transformation of a piece of work from start to finish. I enjoy each step of the process that takes place from generating an idea to making the final edit. My favorite aspect of writing is that I can control the progression of my work. Friends have called me a control freak and though I will never admit that I am, I love writing because I can control what ends up on the page. Writing allows me to tell a story just as I want it to be told. Whether it is a personal narrative or a fictional short story, I have the power. I am able to dictate my characters’ fates, love stories, or hardships. I can describe a scene the way I envision it in my mind. When I write, every decision is up to me.

 

My interest in writing first sparked at a young age because of my Aunt Harriet. Since birth, Harriet has kept a scrapbook of photographs, journal entries, and drawings about my life. At every major milestone, she has shared some of her journal entries with me. When I turned 13 and celebrated my bat mitzvah, she gave me the entire book. Along with being a fabulous aunt, Harriet is also a spectacular writer. Throughout my life when Harriet has shared her recollections of me, I have been blown away by her words. The way she describes my childhood and the memories we shared stand out in my mind. I want to be able to tell stories just like Harriet. The beauty of Harriet’s writing was evident not only through the scrapbook, but also through the letters and birthday cards she has given me throughout the years. Every piece of writing she has sent me is perfectly crafted. Harriet takes a simple birthday greeting and transforms it into something meaningful. Her eloquent words inspired my desire to write.

 

In elementary school I remember loving assignments where I was able to write something creative. I enjoyed telling stories about my life and writing personal narratives. As I grew up, my love for writing did as well. My middle school years were tough, and my challenges in school were reflected through my writing. Although I wrote papers for school, I did not do much writing for myself. I went through what you would call a “writing funk” during my middle school years. My mediocre teachers lacked the ability to inspire. I felt no spark.

 

However, when I reached high school I began writing simply for fun. During the summer before my sophomore year I created a blog where I wrote about my love for fashion. I continued to update my blog throughout high school and even into college. I wrote about trends I admired and trends I hated. I wrote about topics that were relevant to my interests. I wrote because I loved the topic, so the process felt organic.

 

Fast-forward and I became a student at the University of Michigan. As a freshman I was part of the Lloyd Hall Scholars Program, a learning community focused on writing and the arts. This program not only supported my writing, but also inspired me to take risks and write about topics that I was not familiar with. I was able to enroll in a more specific freshman English 125 class, along with other students who shared in my interest in writing. Freshman year I also became a writer for HerCampus, an online magazine on college campuses nationwide. I write for the Style Blog section about fashion and style. My sophomore year I expanded my writing experiences as a contributor to SHEI Magazine. I have written multiple articles and online blog posts for the magazine about various topics including fashion. When I write a blog post, I feel a sense of comfort and accomplishment. Blogging about fashion is enjoyable to me and gives me a break from the rest of my world. I remember when I first decided to write a fashion blog post. I thought I would be sitting, staring at a blank page for hours, but that was not the case. My ideas came, and my writing flowed. There was no stopping me. I write for these publications because I enjoy writing about a topic I am passionate about, fashion. These publications give me freedom as a writer to define word counts and structure.

 

Ultimately, I write for a number of reasons. I write because as a child I wanted to be like my Aunt Harriet. I write because I like to create my own stories. I write because I like to describe fashion through my own words. I write because I enjoy expressing my opinions on various topics. I write because I can control what I produce. I write because of the revision process. I write because I love seeing the transformation between the first draft and the last draft. I write because it feels organic. I write because it makes me think. I write because I love to write.