Something I learned about writing today: to write or have written?

gloria steinem

“Why do you write?”

My mom asked me this question yesterday afternoon, and after my automatic eye rolling response had passed (there are some parts of adolescence that just won’t die) I thought of a quote from Gloria Steinem:

“I do not like to write – I like to have written.” (sourced from goodreads)

Do I write because I love the process? The head space it brings me into? Or is because it allows me express my imagination and thoughts about the world? Or because I simply want to make a book.

I suppose it is a little bit of everything, some days more one than the other. However perhaps this changes with time? Perhaps one day I will write only because I want the carrot at the end, no longer enjoying the process itself—though I sure hope not. I don’t know how it will work in the future, but I would love to hear how it works for others now. Do you write to write or write to have written?

7 thoughts on “Something I learned about writing today: to write or have written?

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